The emergence of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and its implication for humanity has recently become a hot topic. Although there are still a lot of unanswered questions around AI, the pace of its development and how it is permeating every facet of society, cannot be overemphasized.

Last month, I attended two very different tech conferences, TestBash 2024 and ScotSoft 2024 respectively, where (for better or worse), a large part of the talks were centered around AI. As a result, I have been pondering on the question:

What will the rise in AI-Powered systems mean for software testing and quality product delivery in the future?

I have previously shared some of my lessons learned around AI from TestBash 2024 in a separate LinkedIn article. Therefore, in this article, I will draw insights from Futurism, a lesson learned from ScotSoft 2024 to formulate and share my thoughts, on 10 ways I believe software testers can prepare and thrive in an AI-powered future.

Futurism as a change approach!

In 1909, an Italian Poet Filippo Tommaso Marinetti launched an artistic and social movement in Italy that became known as Futurism. The movement celebrated modernity, technology, speed, and innovation, rejecting traditional forms and values associated with the past.

When Marinetti published the Manifesto of Futurism on 20th February 1909, that moment saw the birth of the “Futurists”, a group of radical Italian artists who rejected anything old and looked towards a new Italy. They began to adopt dynamic, abstract, and fragmented artistic styles to express motion and a sense of forward momentum.

Futurism’s influence quickly extended into the digital and technological development space by inspiring a mindset that celebrated progress, innovation, and the transformative power of technology.

Despite its origins and legacies, Futurism’s core ideas – of embracing speed, dynamism, and the rejection of tradition – continue to shape how we conceptualize and visualize technology’s role in reshaping society, art, and human potential today.

In the current digital era, the Futurists’ apply a rigorous systems approach to the future that helps people find agency in their own expertise to be better prepared in uncertain times. Their ambition is often to look as far ahead as possible, asking “what if?” to transcend the limits of short-term thinking, change course before its too late, and to see future possibilities framed in profound human terms.

But, what has futurism got to do with anything?

The Futurist’s approach seems relevant, not least, at a time of so much uncertainties on what the rise of AI-powered technologies will mean for the future of humanity.

It was to this end, Professor Joe Little, a Futurist and Honorary Professor at the University of Stirling, in delivering the opening keynote at ScotSoft 2024, used his perspective both as an Emerging Technologist and Futurist to look at the next 10 years in the digital landscape. Little highlighted some of the problems we may face, and how we can expect technology to evolve in its capabilities to help solve them.

In his talk “The Most Important Decade for Mankind … and how Software Can Make it Happen”, Little argued, among others that, the rise of AI could, in the coming decade mean that:

1. Specialisation will get outsourced to AI in many cases, making more workers into “versatilists”
2. AI will orchestrate the activities of many human customers and workers and vice versa
3. Workers and leaders will leverage AI as “thought partners”
4. Machines will eventually take action within organisations, not just provide advice
5. AI will play out differently in different geographies depending on values, adherence to hierarchy and authority, trust building and relationships within society etc.

To prepare, and respond to these future possibilities, Little suggested, it is important to:

Build up your “up and outward” mindset.
Seek solutions beyond the current ways of doing things.
Challenge constructs that gets in the way.

Professor Joe Little | ScotSoft2024

I found this to be quite insightful for several reasons. Firstly, if these future possibilities about AI are to become a reality, it means almost every role within technology will be impacted, which then made me wonder, what the aforesaid implications might look like for software testing?

Imagining an AI-powered future in software testing!

In reference to software testing, the possible impact of the AI horizon highlighted by the Futurist, Joe Little, might mean for example that, in the coming decade, software testers may need to:

1. Become generalist and contribute more than a specialised testing skill in their teams to stay relevant
2. Find other ways to provide value to their teams, for example by taking on new responsibilities or tasks
3. Become skilled at using AI powered tools either as test buddies or assistants to improve the testing process
4. Help ensure actions taken by AI are responsible, ethical, fit for purpose, and provides organisational and societal benefits
5. Testers may also need to, once again, begin to wear the old “guardian of quality” hat, to ensure the AI systems they work with adheres to various regulatory standards such as the EU GDPR and Data Protection Act etc.

Therefore, as we journey into the AI future, I believe it will be crucial for software testers to keep an eye on these developments and identify which of the highlighted possibilities might become true in their context. Then, plan accordingly.

In this regard, we can draw important lessons from how the Futurists plan for the future.

The futurists’ approach to strategic planning!

The Futurists often engage in strategic planning for the future by considering questions such as: where would a given technological development such as AI have the most impact? what will it take to achieve success with the development? how might we evolve to meet challenges on the horizon?

To address these type of questions, the Futurist’s uses long-term planning, employing frameworks such as The Cycle of Strategic Foresight (CSF), to scan the external environment for signals of change, identify emerging trends and potential disruptors. Then, explore multiple scenarios to inform strategic decision-making.

Figure 1: The Cycle of Strategic Foresight (Courtesy – Institute For The Future)

With the aid of the Prepare-Foresight-Insight-Action Framework, the Futurists provides a systematic approach to anticipating and analyzing foreseeable patterns that may effect change in the future.

In light of the changes we may encounter in an AI-powered future, it seems prudent to prepare our response ahead of time. But the important question is, what would a proportionate response look like for a software tester?

Imagining a testers response to an AI-powered future!

Predicting the future is a difficult business. Even the Futurist’s never claim to predict the future. Instead, they “Imagine IF” and plan strategically for future possibilities. Therefore, predicting or suggesting what an appropriate response may be, to an AI future we do not “yet” entirely know what it may look like for software testing is probably an impossible task.

Nonetheless, we can always look back in history, take an experimental view based on our experiences to see what lessons we can draw from the past, and use that to inform our future trajectory. Moreover, we can perhaps, embrace a “futurist” type mindset by anticipating the transformative role AI can play in software testing processes and proactively prepare for it.

To this end, I have combined my experience of past changes in software development, and the inspiration from Futurism’s emphasis on innovation, dynamism, and radical change to formulate the below listed 10 ways a tester can respond in the context of software testing, to the imagined developments in AI-powered technologies.

1. See AI as a partner, not a threat

Just as the Futurists, historically, embraced machines to enhance human capabilities, software testers should view AI as a powerful ally that can augment their abilities rather than something that will replace them.

The key will be to learn how AI can help streamline testing, from generating test ideas from requirement documentations, designing test cases to detecting and reporting bugs faster, and generating insightful reports etc.

To this end, Testers who up-skill and master how to use AI-related tools and platforms, focusing on how to collaborate with AI to improve the testing process, may become more efficient, enabling them to focus more on high-level work than on human-action driven repetitive tasks.

2. Develop expertise in testing AI systems

As I earlier showed, with Professor Little’s prognosis, the Futurists envision a decade shaped by advanced technologies such as AI. Therefore, as AI become more integrated into applications, the challenge for testers will no longer be just testing conventional software but also testing AI models and algorithms.

Consequently, AI-driven systems will require new approaches to verification and validation, including checking for quality criteria such as bias, fairness, and accuracy of the AI models.

To this end, software testers who can specialize in testing these quality aspects of AI-models and systems will be in high demand in an AI-powered world.

3. Stay open to change and continuous learning

The digital world moves fast, and AI is evolving even faster. Like the Futurists, who thrives on the idea of constant motion and innovation, software testers need to constantly embrace change.

That means continually learning about the latest AI advancements, keeping track on emerging trends in AI development and testing, by for example, attending conferences, and staying plugged into relevant communities.

I believe the more adaptable a tester become, the better prepared they will be for an AI-driven future.

4. Explore the potential for AI-powered test automation

The Futurists loved the idea of machines running things seamlessly, and that concept fits perfectly with the rise of AI-driven test automation. Within software testing, there are already an ongoing proliferation of AI-powered testing tools out there, many of which claim to be effective for test automation.

As we travel into the AI-world, testers will need to further explore the potential of these tools in setting up automated testing frameworks that can adapt to changing code-bases, using self-healing tests that adjust in real-time.

Given such tools are effective, it might mean they will help testers create more “reliable” automated tests, which could help reduce maintenance efforts and human intervention in test automation.

5. Champion ethical AI testing

While the Futurist’s glorifies progress, they sometimes overlook ethical concerns. However, in today’s AI landscape, ethical testing may become crucial to the success of many AI-powered applications.

AI systems need to be fair, transparent, and non-discriminatory. As testers, we can become advocates for ensuring that AI systems don’t introduce bias or violate user privacy, and that they align with ethical guidelines.

Testers will need to become proactive about this. For example, by finding creative ways to include ethical AI testing in your testing strategy early on in the development cycle could set you apart as a leader in the field of AI in testing.

6. Leverage AI for data-driven testing insights

The Futurist’s approach to strategic planning is very dynamic and data-driven. This aligns very much with AI’s ability to process vast amounts of data to improve decision making.

AI can analyse massive amounts of test data and spot patterns that humans might miss. This will make it possible for testers to take a more strategic approach to data-validation by using AI tools to go through software performance data, identify trends, and predict where bugs might occur in the applications they work with.

Therefore, in an AI-driven world, having a deep understanding of how AI processes data insights will be a valuable skill for testers moving forward.

7. Prepare for evolving testing roles

If AI will be used to automate more routine tasks, as suggested in previous sections, then the role of a software tester is bound to change.

Much like the traditional Futurists who re-imagined their roles in a machine-driven world, the testers role may shift from performing human-action driven testing to overseeing AI-driven processes, validating AI models, and focusing on AI ethics.

To prepare for these shifts, testers will need to develop skills that go beyond the traditional testing expertise into a more strategic and oversight expertise in software testing and development in general.

8. Innovate new testing methods for AI enhanced applications

As AI continue to push the boundaries of what applications can do — think for example, advancements in self-driving cars, smart assistants, and AI-powered decision-making tools. These new technologies will require innovative testing strategies that goes beyond standard approaches.

Testers who can think creatively about how to test these applications, and are able to share such knowledge to the wider testing community will probably be ahead of the game.

Therefore, if you are someone currently working on, or who will work on these cutting edge technologies in the near future, you have a real opportunity to impact the trajectory of software testing in the AI era.

9. Leverage AI for non-functional testing

When most people talk about AI in testing, they often think of AI for functional testing. However, it is fair to say that AI will be just as useful for non-functional aspects such as performance, security, and scalability.

In this regard, testers may need to learn how to use AI tools to simulate real-world user scenarios – much like it’s already done with some automation tools, analyze performance bottlenecks, and identify security vulnerabilities in real-time.

Testers who will master how to leverage AI for these non-functional testing tasks will probably become faster and more effective in their testing process.

10. Push for AI testing to become standard practice

Just as the Futurists wanted to reshape art and society, testers should aim to make AI-driven testing a standard part of the industry in an AI-driven world.

This can be done by firstly, learning more about AI, then helping to define a use case for AI in your workflow, and being proactive about bringing relevant AI tools and methodologies into your organization.

In doing so, testers can shape how AI is incorporated into their workflow, team, and organisation, whilst staying updated with the cutting edge developments in AI technologies.

Bonus tip:

Develop continuous adaptive learning for the AI future!

In planning for the future, part of the first step in the Futurists CSF framework is to prepare your mind.

For a software tester, a good starting point would be to gather evidence for the signals and drivers for the adoption of AI in your context, including figuring out your use case for AI.

I have argued elsewhere that, when people talk about AI in testing, they often refer to different things. Therefore, to effectively respond to the developments in AI as a software tester, it will be crucial to understand your use case for AI before embarking on a mission to prepare or plan any form of response. You can do this by asking, for example, the following questions:

• When might using AI become relevant to your work?
• What problems might AI help you solve in your workflow?
• What value might you get from incorporating AI into your workflow?

In answering these questions, you will become better equipped to prepare your mind for the investments you may need to make to adapt and thrive in an AI-powered world.

Going by the discussion thus far, and everything we hear about AI, it can sometimes seem like a daunting task to keep up with these developments in technology. For this reason, I wish to stress that, it is always important to find, on an individual level, the balance between what is out there for you to learn/ do and what is possible for you to learn/ do in your current context.

It is worth noting that, while there may be huge benefits accrued to trend setting, there has also, historically, been a tremendous advantage accrued to backwardness – getting onboard new innovations at a later time than the trend setters. Therefore:

Quickly getting onboard the latest technologies such as AI, might be what you need to thrive, as I have so far alluded to. However, you can also benefit from focusing on what is more important to your work at the moment, then getting onboard the (latest technological) train later, when it becomes useful in your context.

To this end, in the quest to develop and grow in software testing, it is important to adapt your learning, and time investments according to your needs. Do not attempt to do every point listed above, all at once. Perhaps, you can pick one or a few to focus on at a given time, then see what happens.

Above all, let your learning journey be directed by your specific need and circumstances, not the need or circumstances of others external to your environment and context.

Final thoughts:

I have shown from the foregoing that, by thinking like a Futurist – who embraces change, who learns continuously, and lean into AI as a transformative force – software testers can future-proof their careers and lead the charge into a new era of software testing in an AI-powered world.

Therefore, instead of fearing the rise of AI, testers should learn to embrace it, use it to expand their capabilities, with a focus to making a bigger impact in their teams, organisations, and the technological landscape in general.

Finally, to brace up for the future that beckons, we just might need to do as Professor Little suggested, build up your “up and outward” mindset, seek solutions beyond the current ways of doing things, and challenge constructs that gets in the way. And, in the end, excellence may we all find on the AI train.

Enjoy the ride!