How AI Augments Program Management

Clients are increasingly curious about how AI fits into our practice and how it can benefit theirs. While some are constrained by security and compliance limitations, many are looking to us for leadership and inspiration in this space. This creates a dual need: we must be fluent in the evolving landscape of AI, and we must also show discernment in how we adopt and apply these tools internally.

The importance of rigor only increases as AI tools are added to the mix. As these tools have become more capable and widespread, we see both a responsibility and an opportunity to thoughtfully integrate them into our workflows—not to replace human judgment, but to amplify the time we spend on meaningful, high-value work. 

At argo, we view program management as a balance of creative facilitation, operational clarity, and strategic insight. Rather than chasing novelty, we focus on purposeful integration. We’ve used Otter, Notion AI, Slack Canvas, and ChatGPT for lower-order tasks like meeting transcription, note summarization, visual synthesis, and support with writing and editing. But tool maturity and task fit vary widely. There’s no one-size-fits-all solution, and we’re cautious about over-automation where human context is still essential.

Current tool use

• Transcription and Documentation: Tools like Otter have become standard for capturing meeting content, allowing our teams to participate more actively in discussions rather than focusing on note-taking.
   
• Project-Level Organization: Slack Canvas provides collaborative spaces for project teams to organize information and leverage embedded AI capabilities.
   
• Design and Presentation: We utilize AI features within established tools like Figma (including FigJam) and Google Meet, integrating AI assistance into existing workflows.
   
• Program-Level Knowledge Management: Notion AI is leveraged for organizing and maintaining program-level documentation and insights.
   
• General Assistance: Tools like ChatGPT supplement specific needs across various workflows.

Critically, AI doesn’t just save time—it helps shift our focus toward strategic conversations, stakeholder alignment, and value creation. This is especially meaningful in the absence of dedicated account management. PMs at argo can spend less time chasing notes and more time shaping direction.

We believe AI adoption should reflect our “Think by Making” culture at argo. We’re open, experimental, and willing to invest time where there’s a clear payoff in clarity, speed, or creativity. At the same time, we remain mindful: AI outputs require verification, and integration takes effort. We’re not looking for shortcuts—we’re looking for leverage.

Going forward, we see an opportunity to define our own internal standards for AI usage: not just which tools we use, but how we use them, and why. By approaching this space with curiosity and intent, we can build trust with clients, lead by example, and continue designing not just products—but the future of the work itself.