Agile tried to kill the tester. DevOps gave it a shot too. Codeless tools whispered sweet promises of “everyone can test.” And now AI has entered the chat, saying: “Don’t worry, I’ve got the testing covered.” We’ve all seen the hype: AI agents that write code, test it, deploy it, and maybe even send the release email. So… do we really still need testers?

Spoiler alert: yes. Desperately.

In this talk, we’ll explore the hilarious (and sometimes terrifying) realities of working in teams that shipped without dedicated testers — and what actually happened when developers were voluntold to become testers, how quality became “everyone’s job,” and how AI copilots influenced the delivery.
We’ll cover real-world lessons from transforming a global product team, and what AI agent testing actually requires (hint: more than one prompt). You’ll leave with practical lessons on redefining testing roles, embracing test-minded engineers, and learning how to test AI — especially when they try to outsmart you.
Come for the fun facts, stay for the strategy — and leave with a sharp understanding of how to lead your testing process into the AI era without losing your sanity (or your pipeline).