Software Testing Unleashed - QA, DevEx & Quality Engineering

Why Testers Are Safe Despite AI Hype - Mitko Mitev


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From test planning to defect clustering: where AI already saves you 30% effort

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"People should stop asking on interviews what's the difference between class and object. You should probably ask: What is MCP?" - Mitko Mitev

This time I talk to Mitko Mitev, about how AI is reshaping our work as testers, without replacing us. Mitko shows exactly where AI tools save real time across test planning, test case generation, and exploratory testing, and why human expertise remains non-negotiable for context, business logic, and validation. We go into the shift from writing scripts to instructing agents in plain language, how ISTQB's new AI syllabi prepare testers for what's coming, and why waiting another year to explore AI might already be too late.

With over 30 years in software quality assurance and more than 20 years as a Project and Test Manager, Mitko Mitev is recognized as one of South East Europe’s leading software testing experts.

A dedicated advocate for the QA and testing professions, he has been instrumental in establishing and promoting international standards through his work with the ISTQB and as President of the South East European Testing Board (SEETB). Mitko also serves as Chief Editor of Quality Matters magazine and Chair of the SEETEST conference, both focused on advancing global best practices in software quality.

Today, Mitko continues to develop and refine educational materials, books, and articles that help professionals deepen their expertise in software testing. He is also the founder and owner of Quality House – a leading outsourcing and consultancy company with offices in Bulgaria, Serbia and Romania, proudly celebrating 21 years on the market and delivering world-class independent testing services.

Highlights:

  • AI challenges the tester's role by shifting mechanical and automation tasks to machines, but context, business logic, and user behavior prediction still require human control.
  • Generating test cases and test data are the highest-value AI use cases in testing today: a task that takes a human a month can be completed in roughly a week with AI support.
  • Business stakeholders can contribute directly to test automation when plain-language instructions replace scripting, widening the group of people who can drive test activities.
  • Scripting knowledge in languages like TypeScript or Python remains necessary because someone has to verify that AI-generated scripts actually do what they are supposed to do.
  • ISTQB offers two dedicated syllabi covering AI in testing: one on how to test AI products, and a newer one on how to use generative AI in day-to-day testing work, updated every three to six months.
  • ...more
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    Software Testing Unleashed - QA, DevEx & Quality EngineeringBy Richard Seidl | Software Development & Testing Expert