Is there still a future for IT contract managers with the advent of AI?

AI is rapidly changing how we work. Contract management is no exception. Tools that automatically analyze contracts, identify anomalies, or suggest clauses are now available. The logical question, then, is: will the IT contract manager still have a job in the future?

The myth of the disappearing contract manager

Every technological revolution raises the same fear: that people will become redundant. But anyone who's ever seen an IT contract up close knows that contract management goes far beyond reading texts or ticking off terms and conditions. It's about interests, context, collaboration, trust, etc. —precisely the things AI doesn't (yet) understand.

AI is excellent at recognizing patterns and creating summaries. But it doesn't understand parties' interests, shifting priorities within a project, or subtle signals from a supplier who says "yes" but means "no." Note: this doesn't mean AI cannot give advice on interests, context, collaboration etc. It may well be better at that than humans. But in the end that advice has to be implemented in challenging discussions between business partners. And that has to be done by humans (at least in the near future).

What AI does change

That doesn't mean nothing will change. The IT contract manager of the future will work differently:

• Less manual, more strategic. Routine tasks like clause comparison or term monitoring can be largely handled by AI. This frees up space for analysis, stakeholder management, and risk management.

• Data-driven decisions. AI can reveal trends in client or supplier behavior and predict risks based on historical data. The contract manager who can translate this into strategic advice will be invaluable.

• New ethical issues. Who is responsible if an AI makes a mistake in a contract proposal? And how do you maintain control over AI tools that work with confidential data? The contract manager also becomes the overseer of the AI itself.

  
  

The future: man + machine

So the future isn't AI or humans , but AI and humans . Tomorrow's IT contract manager will use AI as a smart assistant, not as a replacement. The true value remains in human insight, integrity, and the art of effective collaboration. Those who understand and apply this effectively will have a brighter future than ever before.