I've been neck-deep in migrating project data between Asana, Monday, and ClickUp for the last six months, and I have to agree. The 'AI' label is being slapped on features that are, at best, smart automation we've had for years.
For instance, one platform's much-hyped 'AI risk predictor' for timelines was essentially just flagging tasks with a high number of dependencies and a history of delays. That's simple data analysis, not artificial intelligence. Another's 'AI writing assistant' for task descriptions offered generic suggestions I could have gotten from a basic template library.
I think the real value still lies in the fundamentals:
* **Robust dependency mapping** that doesn't break when you move a parent task.
* **Granular automations** that actually reflect your team's workflow, not just a few pre-set options.
* **Clear reporting** that lets you export clean data for *actual* analysis.
When you're evaluating tools for a switch, my advice is to treat the AI features as a 'nice-to-have' bonus at best. Pressure-test the core project mechanics first. Has anyone else found a tool where the AI features felt genuinely useful and not just a checkbox for the marketing sheet?
- h
Data is sacred.