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Anna McMillan, Head of Quality Engineering · 30th January 2025
As we step into 2025, technology is evolving at a rapid pace, fundamentally changing how organisations approach quality engineering and testing. Businesses across sectors are both excited and wary of what lies ahead, as they grapple with new opportunities and challenges.
AI takes centre stage
AI remains the dominant force in shaping quality engineering strategies. Organisations are making strides in leveraging AI to enhance their products, services, and internal processes. However, there's a palpable nervousness around AI adoption, particularly as companies move from binary, right-or-wrong outcomes to more nuanced and complex models. The ability to explain AI-driven decisions is becoming a top priority.
Key challenges in AI adoption
According to the latest World Quality Report, organisations face several pressing challenges when scaling AI adoption:
- 58% cite security and data breaches as a top concern.
- 55% struggle with integrating AI into existing software engineering tools and processes.
- 53% find training AI models to be resource intensive.
- 47% report challenges with AI hallucinations; where systems generate plausible but incorrect information.
- 44% experience unforeseen costs due to AI's high computational demands.
Behind AI's sleek interfaces lies immense computing power, which not only increases operational expenses, but also raises concerns about environmental sustainability.
Testing in a new reality
One of the most significant shifts is the transition from traditional yes/no testing to probability-based outcomes. AI models, such as ChatGPT, always provide an answer with unwavering confidence - even when incorrect. This presents major challenges in regulated industries like Financial Services, where incorrect information can lead to compliance breaches, regulatory fines, and loss of customer trust.
Ensuring AI's accuracy and reliability requires new strategies that prioritise explainability and robust validation frameworks.
The evolution of quality engineering
In the last few years, quality has become a genuine boardroom priority. However, while executives acknowledge its importance, many still struggle to see quality engineering as a strategic function.
The rise of low-code and no-code solutions is transforming quality engineering roles. While technical skills remain valuable, there is a growing emphasis on ‘quality engineering craft skills’ such as strategy, exploration, and problem-solving. Modern development tools are lowering barriers, enabling broader participation in quality processes, yet highlighting the need for professionals who can bridge technical execution with business objectives.
Today's quality engineers must be well-rounded; understanding business goals, assessing risks, and developing comprehensive testing strategies that align with company objectives. This shift towards a ‘full-stack’ approach demands expertise across technical, business, and strategic domains.
2025 and beyond: A roadmap for success
As we move through 2025, success in quality engineering will depend on the ability to adapt to these evolving trends. Traditional metrics, such as pass/fail rates, are becoming less relevant. Instead, businesses must focus on demonstrating how quality engineering contributes to broader business goals and risk management.
The rise of quantum computing suggests that the challenges faced today may only be the beginning. Businesses will need to balance embracing cutting-edge technologies with maintaining stringent quality standards.
Key focus areas for the future:
- Ensuring AI transparency and accountability: Developing frameworks to mitigate AI risks, such as hallucinations and biases, will be critical.
- Adopting quality strategies: The pace of technological change necessitates more adaptive and iterative testing approaches.
- Balancing innovation with sustainability: As AI adoption accelerates, addressing its environmental impact will become increasingly important. There is more focus on ESG across sectors, and organisations will need to balance the growing need to understand and improve their sustainability with speed, cost, and risk.
- Investing in upskilling: Equipping quality engineers with the right mix of technical and strategic skills will be essential.
The future of quality engineering isn't just about building products - it's about ensuring that we're building the right products in the right way. By embracing change while staying focused on business value and risk mitigation, organisations can drive progress with increased confidence and precision.