Generative AI in Software Testing What is generative AI in software testing? Generative AI in software testing is an advanced approach that augments human testers to make the testing process faster and more efficient while improving the quality of the software test results. At Testlio, we use artificial intelligence in software testing to assist expert QA testing managers in new test creation, faster test case refactoring, and creating issue reports with significantly fewer errors. In essence, AI testing tools help enhance human performance. To better understand the concept of AI and testing, let’s talk analogies. What else comes to mind when comparing the idea of generative AI to other advances in human performance? Did you say, Cher? Amazing, because that’s what I was thinking too. In 1998, Cher leveraged a novel way to alter her voice in her song “Believe.” She used auto-tune technology, and Lil Wayne and many others soon followed. Auto-tune is an excellent analogy for how generative AI enhances the work of software testers. As auto-tune leverages technology to measure and improve pitch in vocal recording, generative AI in quality assurance enhances productivity, speed, and accuracy. If you feel adventurous, have a listen to an a/b test of me using a basic pitch change filter to alter my version of Believe. Using Apple’s GarageBand voice filter to enhance an already silky smooth voice. Taking the analogy a step further, think about other ways technology augments our ability to improve performance. Examples include Power Steering, the Jackhammer, Microsoft Excel, and Google Docs. Or, take Grammarly’s editing tool. It identifies issues and helps improve writing accuracy and editing speed. Kind of like “AI QA” for writing. Or Adobe Photoshop. It empowers a photo editor to enhance images, allows corrections, and, with generative AI, uses text prompts to add new images. None of this could happen in a traditional darkroom. Image: Adobe How does generative AI improve software testing efficiencies? Analysts estimate software testing costs companies ~$45B per year, with spending expected to grow 5% annually. With new AI testing tools, companies can expand their software testing coverage and gain even more confidence in the quality of their product releases. Testlio integrates generative AI testing tools and systems into key workflows within its manual and automated software testing platform, using client data sets in a secure and privacy-protected manner. We’ve quickly learned that the optimal utilization of AI in quality assurance is to follow a human-AI collaborative approach with skilled specialists providing context, judgment, and handling complex tasks. And AI tackling repetitive tasks and generating data-driven insights within seconds. For Testlio, generative AI significantly reduces manual effort, speeds up testing processes, increases testing coverage, and ultimately improves the overall quality of the software product. Testlio’s initial experiments showed that: Testing managers using generative AI-assisted tools could refactor test cases 15-30% faster than traditional methods. Bug reports created by skilled QA testers using generative AI tools exhibited a 40%+ decrease in errors compared to reports generated through traditional methods. The impact of these findings is significant for the software testing industry and a catalyst for change in software testing services. To learn more about generative AI in software testing, read the results of Testlio’s initial studies published in 2023.