The discussion about AI is everywhere: Is it just another technology hype or will it fundamentally change the work of project managers? Will it replace or enhance humans? To answer precisely these key questions of our time, we spoke to our AI expert Johannes Kloibhofer, who not only considers AI in theory, but uses it in practice every day.
Interview with Mag. (FH) Johannes Kloibhofer
Hello Mr Kloibhofer, why did you start working with AI? What experiences have you had?
I am a person who is rarely satisfied with the status quo. When I worked with AI for the first time, I immediately realised that it wasn't just a new tool - it was a door opener. A tool that not only helps you to work faster, but to think better. Clearer. More creative.
Today, AI is not an add-on for me. It is an integral part of how I think and act - in consulting, in training, in strategy. I use it every day because it gives me space: for the important decisions, for real customer focus and for the things that only humans can do.
What are you currently working on? How do you use AI? What services do you offer?
Together with my team, I build training and consulting formats that take companies to the next level - with a simple principle: Don't talk about AI. Use it.
We show how AI works in real projects. How to use it to make projects not just faster, but more meaningful. Our formats are practical, challenging and suitable for everyday use. And they have one goal: to enable people to work confidently with this technology - not someday, but now.
How will AI change consulting and training in the next 10 years?
AI not only changes the ‘how’ - but also the ‘what’. AI doesn't just make project management more efficient, it makes it more forward-looking. When risks are recognised early, data is intelligently analysed and decisions are better informed, the focus shifts from on time and on budget to impact, innovation and sustainability. In future, successful projects will deliver more than just results - they will generate an even better impact more quickly if utilised well.
Do human skills remain relevant in an AI world?
More than ever. When technology takes over, humans become a superpower:
- Intuition isn't old-fashioned - it's what points us in the right direction in the face of complexity.
- AI can read data, but not sense it.
- AI can create language, but not a connection.
The project managers of tomorrow? People with AI in their toolbox - and attitude in their hearts.
Can AI also promote innovation - not just increase efficiency?
Absolutely. I have experienced it: AI can ignite ideas. It brings things together that didn't belong together before. It opens up spaces that we wouldn't have entered on our own.
The key lies in having the courage to see it not just as a tool, but as a sparring partner. Anyone who only uses AI for optimisation is thinking too small. Those who use it to invent are changing markets.
How does AI affect processes - and how do we stay in control?
Control is being redefined. It is no longer about knowing every step, but ensuring that the path to the goal is the right one.
AI makes processes dynamic, sometimes unpredictable - but also adaptive. What we need is trust in systems that we understand. Not a black box, but a cockpit.
I believe that transparency is the new control. And clarity beats complexity.
How is AI changing change management?
Change is becoming more radical - and more personal. AI shows us where people really stand. What they need. What they are afraid of. And that's exactly where we can start.
Change management is moving from a standard process to human support. AI helps us to recognise patterns - but we have to engage in dialogue.
And yes: we need new images for change. Less ‘managing resistance’, more enabling enthusiasm.
Where have you already used AI successfully?
Wherever it has given me room for manoeuvre - for the essentials. I have drawn up contracts, developed training programmes and translated complex ideas into clear language.
I have learnt to think with AI - not alongside it. And that has not only made my work more productive, but also freer.
For me, AI is not a trend. It is a springboard - for anyone who is ready to jump.
What challenges do you see for your clients as a result of AI?
The biggest challenge is not access to AI - that is open to everyone today. The real challenge is staying on top of it. The speed at which possibilities are shifting, tools are changing and standards are being redefined is breathtaking.
What was considered innovative yesterday is taken for granted today - and may be too slow tomorrow.
Many companies don't have the problem of not knowing enough. Their problem is that they don't know what they can rely on. Which tools remain? What mindset counts? How do you remain capable of acting without constantly running behind?
This is exactly where we come in: with formats that not only provide knowledge, but also create clarity, make decisions easier and provide orientation when everything is in flux. We help people to regain control - not by knowing everything, but by showing them how to navigate safely through the new.
Because in a dynamic system, the strongest person is not the one who knows the most - but the one who learns the best. And that's exactly what we bring to the table: a learning attitude that generates action. Immediately. Practically. In the middle of real life.
Thank you for the interview!
