Name: When machines test themselves, who’s still testing the meaning? | Toronto Meetup
Start: 2025-09-30T22:00:00.000Z
Location: Intuit Canada

The Test Tribe 1st Washington Meetup – Practical Applications of GenAI for Automated Testing
AI isn’t just changing software-it’s changing how we test it.
Join us at The Test Tribe’s 1st Washington Meetup for an exciting deep dive into how Generative AI (GenAI) is reshaping the future of test automation. Led by Hal Deranek, Principal of Quality Engineering at Slalom Build, this session will move beyond the buzz and into the practical applications of GenAI in modern QA practices.

**📅 Event Details**
**Date**: 15th September 2025 (Monday)
**Time**: 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM Local Time
**Venue:** 1501 Langston Blvd., Arlington, VA 22209, USA

**Session:** Practical Applications of GenAI for Automated Testing
**Speaker:** Hal Deranek – Principal of Quality Engineering, Slalom Build

**Session Overview**
Generative AI is everywhere-but what does it really mean for testing?
In this session, Hal Deranek will guide us through the evolution of testing, the current state of GenAI, and its impact on quality engineering. Expect a practical, hands-on perspective with a real-world case study on writing scripts with GenAI and a live demonstration of applying GenAI directly to code.
This talk isn’t just about theory-it’s about walking away with ideas you can apply in your testing practice today.

**About the Speaker**
Hal Deranek is Principal of Quality Engineering at Slalom Build, where his leadership has shaped the future of QE through strategic innovation and mentorship. He has architected solutions for clients across industries, led global QE teams, and designed test automation frameworks for diverse platforms.

Hal’s work includes developing scalable training programs, defining best practices, and fostering a culture of growth that empowers both people and projects to exceed expectations. With deep expertise in quality engineering and a passion for communication, Hal brings a unique perspective on how to apply GenAI meaningfully in testing.

**🌟 Why You Should Attend**

* Understand the real role of GenAI in modern testing
* See a live demonstration of AI-assisted testing in action
* Learn how to integrate GenAI into your QA strategies
* Connect with Washington’s QA and tech community at our very first meetup

**About The Test Tribe**
The Test Tribe is the world’s largest software testing community, empowering global testers since 2018. With 400+ events, 120K+ members across 130+ countries, we foster collaboration, upskilling, and career growth through expert-led courses, memberships, cohorts, and community gatherings.

​By RSVPing this event, you agree to have read our [Terms and Conditions](https://www.thetesttribe.com/website-terms-conditions/) and the [Privacy Policy](https://www.thetesttribe.com/our-privacy-policy/) and also agree to be contacted by us and BrowserStack, with whom we are collaborating for this event.

This is your chance to be part of Washington’s first Test Tribe meetup-where AI meets QA, and the future of testing takes shape.

The Test Tribe Washington | Testers and QA Meetups

TheTestTribe

Lalith

mars

Cynthiia Terán

Michael Garvey

Luis Ochoa

NatalliaD

Parita

H.M.

GUY LAHLOU DJIKEN

Practical Applications of GenAI for Automated Testing | Washington Meetup

1501 Langston Blvd., Arlington, VA 22209, USA

We're excited to announce a Webinar for our **South America community**: "**Flutter Mobile Apps Automation using Appium**" by **Siva Prasad Reddy**

**When is it happening?**
**16th September 2025 \| Tuesday \| 7:30 PM to 8:30 PM \(SGT\)**

**What will SIVA speak about:**
Flutter is Google’s open-source framework for building cross-platform mobile applications with a single codebase. Automating Flutter apps is slightly more challenging compared to native Android/iOS apps because of custom widgets and rendering.
The Appium automation tool supports Flutter automation through the FlutterIntegrationDriver, enabling testers to interact with Flutter-specific widgets and perform end-to-end testing on both Android and iOS.

**About Siva Prasad Reddy:**

Siva Prasad Reddy is an Automation Architect and SDET Trainer with over 11+ years of expertise in software testing and test automation. Specializing in Web, Mobile, and API automation, he excels in designing scalable automation frameworks and integrating them with CI/CD pipelines using Jenkins, Docker, and Kubernetes.
As a dedicated mentor, Siva has successfully guided numerous Manual QA professionals in transitioning to SDET roles through hands-on training programs covering real-time projects, framework design, and career development. He also leads internship initiatives that combine practical project experience with theoretical knowledge to prepare candidates for industry demands.
A passionate community contributor, Siva serves as a Chapter Leader for BrowserStack Meetups (Hyderabad), where he conducts sessions on advanced QA practices, automation trends, and AI in testing, fostering knowledge-sharing within the testing community.

**About The Test Tribe:**
The Test Tribe, established in **2018,** is the **world's largest software testing community** and an EdTech startup. We empower testing professionals globally with expert **courses, memberships, events, and community initiatives**, fostering collaboration, learning, and growth. With over **430 events** and a global reach of **120K+ testers from 130+ countries**, our mission is to provide life-altering growth to every testing professional.

The Test Tribe Kuala Lumpur

Elton Mah

Sarah Mohammed

Mahir Shahryar

Areen Adira

SAGAR

Najla

Nicholas Wong

srinivas

Naimul Islam

Athirah

Moniko Martiano

shridevi hampannavar

Nicolas Y.

Prabu Ramaraj

Flutter Mobile Apps Automation using Appium | Online Meetup

Online event

We're excited to announce a Webinar for our **North America community**: "**Flaky to Flawless: Playwright for Modern Frontends**" by **Alex Okrushko.**

**When is it happening?**
**16th September 2025 \| Tuesday \| 12 PM EST\, 11 AM CST\, 10 AM MST\, 9 AM PST\.**

**What will Alex speak about:**
End-to-end testing for dynamic, component-based applications in Angular and React can be challenging. We’ve all battled flaky tests, complex selectors, and timing issues. This session tackles these problems head-on with a live, hands-on demonstration of Playwright, a modern testing framework built by Microsoft.
As someone who has structured test automation across multiple organizations, I’ll guide you through the essentials of writing fast, reliable, and readable E2E tests.

**About [Alex Okrushko](https://www.linkedin.com/in/alex-okrushko/):**
**Senior Software Engineer, Technical Lead at Snowflake**
Alex Okrushko is a Google Developer Expert in Angular and a core team member for NgRx, recognized for guiding thousands of developers in building scalable, high-quality applications. With over 17 years in software engineering in companies like Google, Cisco and Snowflake, Alex brings a rare dual perspective to testing, having architected enterprise Frontend solutions and built test automation frameworks from scratch in dedicated QA leadership roles. This unique blend of deep development expertise and practical QA automation experience makes him a leading voice on effectively implementing modern testing strategies and tools like Playwright in the Angular ecosystem.

**About The Test Tribe:**
The Test Tribe, established in **2018,** is the **world's largest software testing community** and an EdTech startup. We empower testing professionals globally with expert **courses, memberships, events, and community initiatives**, fostering collaboration, learning, and growth. With over **430 events** and a global reach of **120K+ testers from 130+ countries**, our mission is to provide life-altering growth to every testing professional.

By RSVPing to this event, you agree to our [Terms and Conditions](https://www.thetesttribe.com/website-terms-conditions/) and [Privacy Policy](https://www.thetesttribe.com/our-privacy-policy/), and consent to be contacted by The Test Tribe and our event collaborators, BrowserStack.

The Test Tribe New York | Testers and QA Meetups

Andreas Andersson

Darshak

Tony González

Rocktem

Webinar on Flaky to Flawless: Playwright for Modern Frontends by Alex Okrushko

Join us at The Test Tribe’s Calgary Meetup for two insightful sessions that highlight both the human and technical sides of quality: why broken experiences feel personal, and how world-class organizations are transforming testing to move faster without sacrificing confidence.

**Agenda:**
5:30PM - Registrations
5:45PM - Introductions and ice breaker
6:15PM - Session on "**UX & Bugs: Why Broken Feels Personal**" by Luis Berumen
7:20PM - Session on "**How We Reduced Regression Testing Time from Days to Minutes at Walmart**" by Andrej Simeonov
8:20PM - Networking

**Details:**
**Session 1:** UX & Bugs: Why Broken Feels Personal by Luis Berumen
**Overview:**
When was the last time a system error ruined your day? Bugs don’t just affect functionality—they shape how users feel, how much they trust a product, and even their efficiency and wellbeing.

In this talk, Luis Berumen will highlight the powerful connection between Quality Assurance (QA) and User Experience (UX), showing how both fields protect users in distinct yet complementary ways. By fostering collaboration between QA, developers, and UX professionals, we can ensure not only that software works, but also that it works for people.

**Speaker Details:** Luis Berumen, Director, Calgary UX
Luis Berumen is a UX design leader based in Calgary with over 20 years of global experience in corporations, government, and startups. With advanced degrees in product and user-centered design, he blends strategic leadership with a passion for mentorship and community. Luis is also a strong advocate for diversity and inclusion while driving innovation across organizations.
[LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/luisberumen?utm_source=share&utm_campaign=share_via&utm_content=profile&utm_medium=android_app)

**Session 2:** Experience: How We Reduced Regression Testing Time from Days to Minutes at Walmart by Andrej Simeonov
**Overview:**
Regression testing is critical for product stability, but at an enterprise scale, it can become a bottleneck. In this session, Andrej Simeonov will share how Walmart transformed its regression testing process - reducing test execution from 143 human-days of effort to just 27 minutes.

This real-world case study will showcase the strategies, tooling, and cultural shifts that enabled one of the world’s largest retailers to move from slow, manual-heavy testing cycles to lightning-fast automation, unlocking speed, scalability, and confidence in releases.

**Speaker Details:** Andrej Simeonov, Director, Software Development at Neo Financial
Andrej Simeonov is an experienced engineering leader with a track record of driving large-scale testing and automation transformations. His work focuses on building resilient systems and enabling teams to deliver quality at speed.
[LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/drej?utm_source=share&utm_campaign=share_via&utm_content=profile&utm_medium=android_app)

The Test Tribe Calgary

Lavanya Mohan

monica balu

Danylo

ROMAN RADZIIEVSKYI

Hansel Dy

Purva

Natalie

Max Ahn

Sean Burke

O datso

Luis Berumen

Lalith Nimmala

Fareen

Tetiana

Maksym

Ayumi T

Sneha M

Raashid Kabir

Serhii P

UX, Bugs and Test Automation

InceptionU

**The Test Tribe 8th Toronto Meetup – When Machines Test Themselves, Who’s Still Testing the Meaning?**

As AI becomes more deeply embedded in both our products and testing processes, the question isn’t just “What can AI do for QA?” - it’s “How do we preserve meaning, judgment, and responsibility when machines are generating, deciding, and learning on their own?"

AI systems are dynamic, opaque, and often unpredictable. Testing them requires more than verifying outputs - it demands understanding why a result was produced, how it evolves, and what we choose to trust.
In this session, David Milette will explore the blind spots in current QA practices and share actionable ways to build a more relevant, ethical, and human-centered approach to quality in the age of intelligent systems. Because while AI moves fast, without us, it doesn’t know where it’s going.

**Event Details**

* Date: 30th September 2025 (Tuesday)
* Time: 6:00 PM – 9:00 PM PDT
* Venue: Intuit Canada – 8 Spadina Ave. Suite 1900, Toronto, ON M5V 0S8
* Maps:[ https://maps.app.goo.gl/v1GiuWpFcitNESCBA](https://maps.app.goo.gl/v1GiuWpFcitNESCBA)

**Session: When Machines Test Themselves, Who’s Still Testing the Meaning?**

**Speaker: David Milette**
**Session Overview**
As AI becomes more embedded in our products - and even in our testing processes - the key question is no longer “What can AI do for QA?” but rather: How do we preserve meaning, judgment, and responsibility when machines are generating, deciding, and learning on their own?
AI systems are dynamic, opaque, and often unpredictable. Testing them requires more than checking functional output - it means understanding why a result was produced, how it evolves, and what we choose to trust. And more importantly: who stays in control?
When AI automates assertions, generates test cases, or identifies critical paths, we risk losing what humans bring to the table: intuition, lived experience, empathy, and the ability to question what’s missing. Are our tools reinforcing our biases? Are our scripts blind to what truly matters for users?

In his talk, David will explore the blind spots in current QA practices and share actionable ways to build a more relevant, ethical, and human-centered approach to quality in the age of intelligent systems. AI moves fast. But without us, it doesn’t know where it’s going.

**Key Takeaways**

* Why testing AI requires more than checking functional outputs
* The human strengths we risk losing in automation-heavy QA
* How to identify blind spots and biases in AI-driven testing
* Practical strategies for ethical and human-centered quality

**About the Speaker**
David Milette is the cofounder and Chief Technology Evangelist of SQALogic, DevOps Advisory Board Content Chair at DevNetwork, and an advisor to the cybersecurity and data governance law firm Henry and Wolf. With a career spanning more than two decades, David is passionate about helping organizations optimize their IT processes and deliver high-quality, scalable software solutions that meet both customer needs and evolving market demands.
His expertise has been sought by global leaders such as Compuware, Mercury Interactive, HP, Worksoft, Tricentis, Delphix clients to ensure their automation, testing, and quality assurance practices are not only efficient but also strategically aligned with their broader business objectives. His expertise has been sought by global leaders such as Compuware, Mercury Interactive, HP, Worksoft, Tricentis, Delphix, and SAP, where he has held roles ranging from QA engineering and project management to high-level strategic advisory positions.

**Why You Should Attend**

* Learn how to adapt QA practices for intelligent, evolving systems
* Explore the balance between automation, trust, and human judgment
* Gain actionable strategies to keep quality relevant in the AI era
* Connect with the Toronto QA and tech community for insights and networking

**About The Test Tribe**
The Test Tribe is the world’s largest software testing community, empowering testers globally since 2018. With 400+ events and 120K+ members across 130+ countries, we bring software testers together to learn, grow, and connect through expert-led courses, membership programs, cohorts, and community events.
By RSVPing, you agree to our Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy and consent to be contacted by The Test Tribe and our event partners.

The Test Tribe Toronto

Filipe Ferreira

IRYNA

Vladimir Arango

Simu Mathew

Prince Castelino

curtis taylor

Victoria Povolotska

Tetiana Yurchenko

Akansha

jitesh chawla

Valeriia Petrykovska

Kenan

Greg K

selinaswamp62

Winston Tran

Michael Tran

Andrej Ristic

When machines test themselves, who’s still testing the meaning? | Toronto Meetup

Intuit Canada

The Test Tribe

Search {networkName}

Groups

{PRO_NETWORK_NAME} is on Meetup Pro with more than {PRO_MEMBER_COUNT} members across {PRO_GROUP_COUNT} Meetups worldwide. Meetup Pro is the professional tool for organizing and communicating a network of users, partners, contributors and members.

The Test Tribe

The Test Tribe

Who we are

Search The Test Tribe

Upcoming events

Groups