---
ref_id: REF-03
ref_type: Companion
ref_index: 03
shortcode: AI-Essentials
name: AI Essentials for Project Professionals
status: Active
version: "1.0.0"
file_path: "reference/companion-references/REF-03.md"
pmbok8_source: "PMBOK8 Guide §1.4 — Tailoring · Appendix X5 — AI and Emerging Technology"
last_updated: "2026-06-03"
---

# REF-03 — AI Essentials for Project Professionals
**Shortcode:** AI-Essentials  
**Publisher:** Project Management Institute (PMI), 2024  
**Authority:** PMBOK8 Companion — AI Literacy and PM+AI Integration  
**Version:** 1.0.0 · **Status:** Active

## Full Bibliographic Citation
Project Management Institute. (2024). *AI Essentials for Project Professionals*. Project Management Institute. Official release: https://www.pmi.org/standards/ai-essentials-for-project-professionals

## What This Reference Adds Beyond PMBOK 8
PMBOK 8 Appendix X5 introduces AI as an emerging force in project management but does not detail AI competency development for practitioners. AI Essentials bridges this gap by defining AI literacy levels for PMs, covering prompt engineering basics, AI-assisted planning tools, risk assessment for AI use, and ethical guardrails. It is foundational reading for practitioners before using AI agents or co-pilots in a PMO context.

## PMBOK 8 Domain and Principle Coverage

| PMBOK 8 Element | AI-Essentials Contribution |
|---|---|
| Appendix X5 — AI and Emerging Technology | Core operational detail for the AI appendix |
| P3 — Embed Quality | AI output quality assessment, hallucination risk, and validation practices |
| P4 — Be an Accountable Leader | AI accountability: human oversight, decision traceability, model governance |
| P5 — Integrate Sustainability | AI energy consumption and ethical AI considerations |
| Risk Performance Domain (§2.7) | AI-specific risk categories: bias, data drift, model failure, privacy exposure |

## PMOSkills Artifact and Skill Connections

| Item | Connection |
|---|---|
| A37 — AI, Data, and Privacy Control Record | AI-Essentials provides the risk taxonomy that populates A37 |
| SKL-08-01 — AI Use Case Assessment | AI-Essentials is the primary literacy reference for this skill |
| SKL-08-02 — AI Decision Support and Oversight | AI-Essentials governance and accountability model applies here |

## Practitioner Usage Notes
- Before deploying an AI co-pilot on a live project, practitioners should complete the AI Essentials competency framework as a readiness check.
- Use AI-Essentials Chapter 4 (Risk and Ethics) when populating A37.

---
*Authority: PMI AI Essentials for Project Professionals (2024) · PMBOK8 Appendix X5*  
*Repository: https://github.com/fakhruldeen/PMOSkills*
