If you look at any recent article on the hot tech trends for 2019, the chances are good that automation and AI will be fairly high on the list. What you might not have read, however, is the impact that the combination of these two technologies is having on the software testing process.
Driven by the analysis of huge volumes of test data, intelligent test automation uses advanced AI and machine learning (ML) to deliver real, actionable intelligence. This not only improves the quality and outcome of test projects but, by feeding back into the process, refines test suites and their outcomes.
Automation is a key element of any digital transformation, and testing is no exception; automating a test environment can deliver both greater efficiency and better return on investment (ROI). Through the use of data and rules-based learning, however, intelligent test automation takes this to another level, optimizing each phase of the testing cycle, from discovery to automation, and from testing to maintenance.
Raising the Stakes
This is clearly a big leap forward for software testing. Test automation revolutionized the process, delivering greater efficiency and scale, and a faster time to market. Now, with the insights generated by AI and ML it’s possible to up the ante by optimizing and continually improving the software development lifecycle, making smarter decisions based on prescriptive analytics. The ability to predict potential problems, for example, means that they can be dealt with at the source when they occur, improving both testing time and quality.
In an increasingly competitive landscape where time to market is everything, businesses everywhere are required to deliver better quality software, faster than ever before. Forrester predicts that in 2019, “automation will become the tip of the digital transformation spear, impacting everything from infrastructure to customers to business models.” Our own AI-powered test solution, ASTUTE, confirms this analysis – by applying AI-enhanced intelligence to every phase of testing, it is capable of reducing test efforts by at least 35 percent.
A Perfect Storm
In recent years, we’ve seen a convergence of technology trends and developments — escalating amounts of data, faster processing power and increasingly powerful algorithms — leading to a huge increase in the sophistication and deployment of AI technologies. AI and ML are now at the point where they can have a real, tangible business benefit. And by applying them to test automation, this benefit will be felt across the entire software development lifecycle.
Mark my words, 2019 will be the year that this all comes together, changing the face of testing forever. To learn more about how to leverage this powerful force to unlock quality and faster time to market for real ROI, fill out the form below to discuss your unique business case.
