The latest edition of the Future of Testing events, held on November 7, 2023, was nothing short of inspiring and thought-provoking! Focused on AI in Automation, attendees learned how to leverage AI in software testing with top industry leaders like Angie Jones, Tariq King, Simon Stewart, and many more. All of the sessions are available now on-demand, and below, we take a look back at these groundbreaking sessions to give you a sneak peek of what to expect before you watch.
Opening Remarks
Joe Colantonio from TestGuild and Dave Piacente from Applitools set the stage for a thought-provoking discussion on reimagining test automation with AI. As technology continues to evolve at a rapid pace, it’s important for software testing professionals to adapt and embrace new tools and techniques. Joe and Dave encouraged attendees to explore the potential of AI in test automation and how it can enhance their current processes. They also touch upon the challenges faced by traditional test automation methods and how AI-powered solutions can help overcome them.
Dave shared one of our latest updates – the integration of Applitools Eyes with Preflight! Learn more about Preflight.
Keynote—Reimagining Test Automation with AI by Anand Bagmar
In this opening session, Anand Bagmar explored how to reimagine your test automation strategies with AI at each stage of the test automation life cycle, including a live demo showcasing the power of AI in test automation with Applitools.
Anand first introduced the transition from Waterfall to Agile software delivery practices, and while we can’t imagine going back to a Waterfall way of working, he addressed the challenges Agile brings to the software testing life cycle. Each iteration brings more room for error across analysis, maintenance, and validation of tests. This is why testers should turn toward AI-powered test automation, with the help of tools like Applitools, to help ease the pain of Agile testing.
The session is aimed at helping testers understand the importance of leveraging AI technology for successful test automation, as well as empowering them to become more effective in their roles. Watch now.
From Technical Debt to Technical Capital by Denali Lumma
In this session, Denali Lumma from Modular dived into the concept of technical debt and proposed a new perspective on how we view it – technical capital. She walked attendees through key mathematical concepts that help calculate technical capital, as well as examples comparing Pytorch vs. TensorFlow, MySQL vs.Postgres, Frameworks vs. Code Editors, and more.
Attendees gained insights into calculating technical capital and how it can impact the valuation of a company. Watch now.
Automating Quality: A Vision Beyond AI for Testing by Tariq King
Tariq King of EPAM Systems took attendees on a journey through the evolution of software testing and how it has been impacted by generative AI. He shared his vision for the future of automated quality, one that looks beyond just AI to also prioritize creativity and experimentation. Tariq emphasized the need for quality and not just using AI to “go faster.” The more quality you have, the more productive you will be.
Tariq also dove into the ethical implications of using AI for testing and how it can be used for good or evil. Watch the full session.
Leveraging ChatGPT with Cypress for API Testing: Hands-On Techniques by Anna Patterson
In this session, Anna Patterson of EVERFI explored practical techniques and provided hands-on examples of how to harness the combined power of Cypress and ChatGPT to create robust API tests for your applications.
Anna guided us through writing descriptive and clear test prompts using HTML status codes, with a pet store website as an example. She showed in real-time how meaningful prompts in ChatGPT can help you create a solid API test suite, while also considering the security requirements of your company. Watch now.
PANEL—Testing in the AI Era: Opportunities, Hurdles, and the Evolving Role of Engineers
Joe Colantonio, Test Guild • Janna Loeffler, mParticle • Dave Piacente, Applitools • Stephen Williams, Accenture
As the use of AI in software development continues to grow, it is important for engineers and testers to stay ahead of the curve. In this panel discussion led by Joe Colantonio from Test Guild, Janna Loeffler from mParticle, Dave Piacente from Applitools, and Stephen Williams from Accenture came together to discuss the current state of AI implementation and its impact on testing.
They talked about how AI is still in its early stages of adoption and why there may always be some level of distrust in AI technology. The panel emphasized the importance of first understanding why you might implement AI in your testing strategy so that you can determine what the technology will help to solve vs. jumping in right away. Many more incredible takes and insights were shared in this interactive session! Watch now.
The Fear Factor with Richard Bradshaw
The Friendly Tester, Richard Bradshaw, addressed the common fears about AI and automation in testing. Attendees heard Richard’s open and honest discussion on the challenges and concerns surrounding AI and automation in testing. Ultimately, he calmed many fears around AI and gave attendees a better understanding of how they can begin to use it in their organization and to their own advantage. Watch now.
Tests Too Slow? Rethink CI! by Simon Stewart
Simon Stewart from the Selenium Project discussed the latest updates on how to speed up your testing process and improve the reliability of your CI runs. He shared insights into the challenges and tradeoffs involved in this process, as well as what is to come with Selenium and Bazel.
Attendees learned how to rethink their CI approach and use these tools to get faster feedback and more reliable testing results. Watch now.
Revolutionizing Testing: Empowering Manual Testers with AI-Driven Automation by Dmitry Vinnik
Dmitry Vinnik explored how AI-driven automation is revolutionizing the testing process for manual testers. He showed how Applitools’ Visual AI and Preflight help streamline test maintenance and reduce the need for coding.
Dmitry shared the importance of test maintenance, no code solutions for AI testing, and a first-hand look at Applitools Preflight. Watch this session to better understand how AI is transforming testing and empowering manual testers to become more effective in their roles. Watch the full session.
Keynote—Where Is My Flying Car?! Test Automation in the Space Age by Angie Jones
In her closing keynote, Angie Jones of Block took us on a trip into the future to see how science fiction has influenced the technology we have today. The Jetsons predicted many futuristic inventions such as robots, holograms, 3D printing, smart devices, and drones. We will explore these predictions and see how far we have come regarding automation and technology in the testing space.
As technology continues to evolve, it is important for testers to stay updated and adapt their strategies accordingly. Angie dove into the exciting world of tech innovation and imagined the future for test automation in the space age. Watch now.
Visit the full Future of Testing: AI in Automation on-demand archive to watch now and learn actionable steps to implement AI in your software testing strategy, key considerations before you start, other ideas around ethics and philosophical considerations, the importance of quality and security, and much more.
