AutomationSTAR

Test Automation Conference Europe

Track Talk T1

Artificial Intelligence vs. Natural Stupidity

Gerard van Engelen

09:45-10:30 Thursday 10th October

In today’s software-centric world, AI’s role as a supportive tool is indisputable. Yet, its effectiveness as a standalone solution in software testing is overstated. Our session will dissect AI’s capabilities and limits within the nuanced ecosystem of software units. We will traverse the landscape of AI in unit testing, highlighting both its adeptness at pattern recognition and its deficiencies in anomaly detection, questioning if there’s a secret recipe for perfect API testing.

We will also delve into the complexities of end-to-end testing, examining whether AI can truly grasp the subtleties of the user’s journey. The discussion acknowledges AI’s potential for scale and speed and its need for careful application to avoid pitfalls.

This talk is about understanding AI’s scope, punctuated with insights into the do’s and don’ts of test automation, underlining where AI shines and where human oversight remains crucial. The overarching message is one of balanced dependency: using AI wisely while being wary of its hyped promises.

While AI offers powerful tools for software testing, it should complement human expertise, not replace it. Understanding where AI excels and where human intuition is crucial can optimize testing efficiency. Blindly automating every testing process with AI can lead to oversights. Testers must discern which processes benefit from AI and which require the nuanced touch of a human. Rapid integration of AI tools is tempting, but taking time for practice and reflection ensures a more robust application, minimizing errors and enhancing the overall software quality.

Join me in unraveling the intertwined dance of AI brilliance and human oversight, reflecting on our ‘natural stupidity’ when we become too reliant on technological intelligence. Are you ready to engage in a session that promises insights, debates, and a touch of self-reflection?

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What you will Learn

  1. AI as an Augment, Not a Replacement
  2. Discerning Application is Crucial
  3. Practice & Reflection Over Speed

Session Details

  • Intermediate
  • 45 mins
  • Includes 15 mins Q&A
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Session Speaker

Gerard van Engelen

Technical Engineer - Codepeople, Netherlands

I help teams and organizations improve the QA Process by comparing difficult problems with simple everyday examples. I help solve the details by referring to the bigger picture. In this way, improvements are done in a scalable and predictable way. I have experience working on different products which support e-commerce flows. Where I worked on projects involving different test automation tools like Selenium, Puppeteer, Pact, Postman, etc, within these projects, I learned that it provides more benefits to focus on the problem that’s at play than to focus on tool selection. It's my opinion that automation should provide a solution to a problem and should not be a goal on its own. My ambition is to keep working on new projects where I can learn something new every day. I feel most challenged in environments with many activities where I can contribute to the company's vision.

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