PMI Sydney Chapter - AI Gathering - Copy
Despite the buzz around AI and its potential to revolutionize industries, a surprising 70-80% of AI projects fail. Why do so many AI initiatives, brimming with promise and potential, end up falling short? In this talk we explore the top reasons for these AI project failures, through real-world experiences and “ripped from the headlines” examples.
We’ll share why many AI projects fail, and the practical ways to navigate these challenges for AI project success, highlighting the project manager’s role in AI projects. Furthermore, we’ll explain how emerging approaches to Trustworthy AI are helping to address a wide range of ethical and responsible AI challenges.
As a way to avoid these common AI project failures, we’ll present the best practice for running and managing AI projects, the CPMAI approach, which is now a PMI training and certification. You will learn how to do AI right by applying a step-wise approach/methodology for AI projects, including an AI project template that gives you a straightforward way to adapt CPMAI methodology to your AI projects.
Learning Objectives:
- Understanding the Common Pitfalls of AI Projects
- Real-World Case Studies of AI Failures
- Approaches for successfully managing AI projects
- Trustworthy AI considerations
- 5:30pm Registration, Networking, Refreshment
- 6:30pm Welcome + Keynote
- 7:00pm Panel discussion
- 7:45pm AI Trivia
- 8:00pm Closing remarks, wrap up
Project Managers, project professionals, and anyone looking to successfully run and manage AI projects.
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Kathleen Walch is the Director of AI Engagement and Community at the Project Management Institute (PMI), where she leads global initiatives to advance AI adoption in project management. She co‑developed the Cognitive Project Management for AI (CPMAI) methodology, now used by Fortune 1000 companies, government agencies, and NGOs to manage AI and data‑driven projects.
A recognised AI thought leader with a background in marketing and data analytics, she is also a keynote speaker, AI Today podcast co‑host, Forbes contributor, and SXSW Innovation Awards judge. Kathleen previously co‑founded Cognilytica and holds a marketing degree from Loyola University.
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David Barros is a Principal Project Manager at Flexera, leading strategic customer engagements across the APAC region. With over 15 years of extensive experience delivering complex technology, governance, and optimisation initiatives, David specialises in driving predictable outcomes, accelerating Time to Value, and enabling organisations to realise measurable improvements in visibility, compliance, and operational maturity. David is recognised for his structured yet adaptable delivery approach, underpinned by PMI‑aligned principles and a strong focus on customer relationships.
David has also served as a past Board Director at PMI Sydney, Australia Chapter, a PMIxAI AU/NZ Champion and is a casual post-grad lecturer in Project Management at the University of Sydney and UBSS. |
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Dean Naicker is a versatile Leader with Gen AI / ML, Digital & Business transformation and M&A execution experience, coupled with commercial acumen, change management and strong technology skills. Passionate about roles that define and deliver strategy by leveraging emerging technology, fostering innovation and building capability. Global experience working with diverse multi-disciplinary teams while being based out of South Africa, UK and Australia. Experience comprises of roles in complex B2B / B2C corporates, management consulting, Private Equity and startup environments across diverse industries.
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