AI Took My Job, So I Took Its Seat at the Table

When generative AI burst onto the scene, panic followed close behind. Testers everywhere started questioning their value. I saw it happen live when a CTO in one of my projects looked me straight in the eye and asked, “Why do we need human testers when GPT can generate test cases in seconds?”

That moment stayed with me. It was not just a question. It was a challenge. This talk is a first-person account of what happened next. Instead of fighting the wave, I decided to ride it. We brought AI into our testing process and gave it a proper seat at the table. We used it to generate test data, create summaries for defect logs, and even draft exploratory prompts. And while AI delivered impressive speed, it also showed glaring gaps. It misunderstood context, misjudged priorities, and occasionally invented bugs out of thin air. What began as an experiment turned into a strategic shift. I discovered that the most valuable thing a tester brings to the table is not speed or scale. It is the ability to ask questions that matter. Questions that AI cannot understand or imagine.

This session will explore how testers can stop fearing AI and start leading with it. By combining machine assistance with human judgment, testers can shape the future of quality instead of reacting to it.

Takeaways:
- Learn how to integrate AI meaningfully into your test process without losing control
- Discover which parts of testing AI handles well and where human skill still rules
- Understand how to shift from task-focused testing to insight-driven quality leadership

## About Brijesh

Brijesh Deb is a quality engineering leader with over 25 years of experience in software testing, AI, and Agile transformation. He is a Principal Consultant at Infosys and the Chief Enablement Officer at The Test Chat community. He has worked across several domains delivering customer-centric solutions grounded in technical excellence.
Known for his practical approach and systems thinking, Brijesh bridges the gap between engineering and business, advocating for ethical, context-driven testing. He promotes Agile not as a process, but as a cultural shift fostering collaboration, breaking silos, and building purposeful teams.
Brijesh is widely recognized for his bold perspectives on testing, leadership, Agile and AI shared through his posts and articles on Linkedin and Medium, his podcast TesterSpeak, and his active presence in various panel discussions, meetups and conferences both online and offline. He is also a passionate student of anthropology, often linking cultural behaviors with people dynamics to improve quality outcomes.
Based in the Netherlands, Brijesh continues to challenge outdated testing narratives while mentoring professionals across the globe. In his personal time, he enjoys meaningful moments with his son, drawing inspiration from the simplicity of everyday life.