Project leaders today do not lack data, dashboards, or tools. What they face is something harder: making sound decisions amid uncertainty, competing priorities, accelerating change, and incomplete information.

As AI increasingly automates the science of project management — scheduling, reporting, tracking, forecasting, and workflow optimization — the role of the project leader is shifting toward the human side of delivery: strategic judgment, influence, alignment, and decision-making under pressure.

The shift is already underway. Organizations are moving faster than ever, yet speed alone does not guarantee meaningful outcomes. Teams may produce more output, but alignment across stakeholders, customers, and business priorities remains a persistent challenge. In an AI-augmented world, project leaders must ensure that velocity translates into value.

The adaptive project leader of 2026 knows when to trust the algorithm and when to trust the room. They connect execution to strategy, align teams around outcomes, and build the trust that enables transformation to succeed.

This year’s symposium will explore how adaptive project leaders can harness AI responsibly, drive measurable business outcomes, and strengthen the human connections that no technology can replace.

To thrive in an AI-augmented world, project managers must evolve beyond execution.

The Adaptive PM is defined by the ability to:

• Leverage AI effectively to reduce manual effort and improve clarity
• Make sound decisions under uncertainty, even when data is incomplete or misleading
• Connect delivery to real business outcomes, not just timelines and outputs
• Build alignment, trust, and influence across fast-moving, cross-functional teams

Proposals are welcomed on topics belonging to below tracks:

Track 1 — The Augmented PM: What AI Does Well and Where It Stops
Focus: AI in execution—tools, workflows, and real usage

• From Status Reports to Strategy: How AI Is Reshaping PM Time
• The Prompt That Cost the Project: Real AI Failure Modes in Delivery
• AI-Assisted Planning: What’s Working and What’s Still Hype
• Decision Support vs. Decision Ownership: Where PMs Draw the Line
• Live Lab: Prompts, Tools, and Workflows PMs Can Use Next Week

Track 2 — When to Trust the Algorithm vs. the Room
Focus: Decision-making, judgment, and accountability under uncertainty

• Leading Without Complete Information: Making High-Stakes Decisions That Stick
• When the Data Is Wrong and Everyone Believes It: Navigating AI Blind Spots
• Who Owns the Bad Decision? Accountability in AI-Influenced Projects
• Competing Priorities, Shrinking Timelines: Holding Direction Under Pressure
• When Judgment Overruled the Dashboard: Real Project Moments

Track 3 — The Velocity Trap: From Output to Outcomes
Focus: Value realization, strategy alignment, and business impact

• Shipping Fast on the Wrong Thing: How Velocity Amplifies Misalignment
• Output vs. Outcomes: A Practical Diagnostic for Project Leaders
• Connecting Daily Delivery to Strategy, Beyond the OKR Checkbox
• Influencing Stakeholders Before the Scope Locks In
• Mid-Flight Course Correction: Resetting Direction Without a Crisis

Track 4 — Intentional Culture: Designing Human Connection in AI Teams
Focus: Trust, collaboration, and human alignment at speed

• The PM as Culture Architect: Designing Alignment, Not Repairing It
• Does the Algorithm Silence Dissent? Psychological Safety in AI Teams
• Building Trust at Speed in High-Velocity Environments
• Influence Without Authority in AI-Accelerated, Cross-Functional Teams
• Designing Intentional Moments: Protecting Human Connection in Fast-Moving Teams

We encourage submissions that include:

• Practical case studies and lessons learned
• Real-world AI implementation experiences
• Frameworks, tools, or decision models attendees can apply immediately
• Successes, failures, and measurable business outcomes
• Interactive discussions, demonstrations, or audience engagement
• Perspectives from enterprise transformation, PMOs, leadership, product delivery, or organizational change

We welcome both strategic and tactical perspectives, including:

• Executive leadership insights
• Practitioner experiences
• Research-backed approaches
• Emerging ideas and future trends

Accepted presenters will receive the following:

Each presenter will have a total of 55 minutes to present, with 40-45 minutes to deliver content and 10-15 minutes for Q&A with the audience.

• The symposium will be conducted  both in person and virtual (over the Zoom platform).
• There will be Zoom experts present during each session to help the speaker and facilitate the webinar.

If you have any queries regarding Theme or need any further details, please contact us at symposium_paper@pmisv.org.