This content originally appeared on DEV Community and was authored by Marivic Presaldo
Automation didn’t replace testers — it made them more valuable. AI will do the same.
I’ve been reflecting lately on how much the world of Quality Engineering is changing — and honestly, I’m excited.
At first, I had second thoughts. Like many in tech, I wondered: Will AI replace QAs and QEs?
But the more I explored, the clearer it became — AI is not a rival. It’s a powerful ally.
We’ve Seen This Before
Remember when automation testing first entered the scene? The buzz was intense. People thought manual testers would disappear. But what really happened?
Automation simply took care of the repetitive, low-value tasks. It freed up testers to focus on exploratory testing, UX, and strategy. It didn’t replace us — it empowered us.
AI is doing the same — just at a whole new level.
AI in Quality Engineering Today: From Assistant to Superpower
We’ve started exploring using AI in so many exciting ways:
• 
Code Reviews — AI helps flag issues, bad practices, and even suggests fixes.
• Test Coverage Reviews — Identify gaps in coverage and guide testing priorities.
• Duplicate Test Detection — Clean up redundancy and keep suites lean.
• Test Generation — Generate tests from user stories, specs.
Eventually, QEs will not be bogged down with boilerplate automation scripts. Instead, we get to do what we do best — think critically about quality.
Embracing the Future — With Excitement
This shift initially scared me — but after exploring, it energizes me. I’m genuinely excited by all the possibilities AI brings to the table for Quality Engineers. 
AI is becoming the always-on assistant that lets us focus on:
• Understanding the product deeply
• Championing the user experience
• Assessing risk intelligently
• Designing robust, creative tests
The future of QE isn’t “AI vs Human”. It’s AI + Human — a collaboration where we focus on strategy, and AI takes care of the heavy lifting.
Final Thoughts
As QEs, we’re not being replaced — we’re being elevated.
Let’s embrace AI. Let’s learn it, guide it, and use it to build better, faster, and smarter.
I’m already seeing it transform my work — and I can’t wait to see what’s next.
Are you using AI in your QA workflows? I’d love to hear what tools you’re trying or where you’re seeing the most impact! Let’s share and learn together. 
This content originally appeared on DEV Community and was authored by Marivic Presaldo