About This Episode:
AI testing is everywhere — but clarity isn’t.
In this episode, Joe Colantonio breaks down the real test automation trends for 2026, based on data from 40,000+ testers, 510 live Q&A questions, and 50+ interviews with industry leaders. This isn’t vendor hype or futuristic speculation. It’s what working testers are actually worried about — and what they’re doing next.
You’ll learn:
Why 72.8% of testers prioritize AI, yet don’t trust it alone
The real reason AI testing feels harder instead of easier
How integration chaos is blocking automation success
Why “AI auditor” and “quality strategist” are emerging career paths
What agentic AI, MCPs, and vibe testing really mean in practice
How compliance, accessibility, and security will redefine QA in 2026
If you’re a tester, automation engineer, or QA leader trying to stay relevant — this episode gives you the signal through the noise, and a clear path forward.
If you’re a software tester, automation engineer, or QA leader looking ahead to 2026, this episode lays out what’s coming — and how to stay connected.
Discount code: 100GUILDCOIN (https://testguild.me/podag26)
Exclusive Sponsor
This episode is sponsored by Automation Guild 2026 — the industry’s largest, practitioner-led automation testing conference.
Automation Guild 2026 brings together thousands of software testers, automation engineers, and QA leaders for five days of hands-on sessions, real-world AI testing examples, and practical guidance you can apply immediately. No sales pitches. No hype. Just how modern teams are actually testing software in the age of AI.
If you want to see what agentic AI, test automation migration paths, accessibility compliance, and AI-assisted testing look like in practice, Automation Guild 2026 is where it happens.
Register now and join the global testing community: https://testguild.me/podag26
About Joe Colantonio
Joe Colantonio has over 25 years of experience in software automation testing and is the founder of Test Guild–a dedicated independent resource for actionable and real-world technical advice from industry experts (blog, video tutorials, podcasts, and online conferences)to help improve your DevOps automation, performance, and security testing efforts. He is the host oft he longest-running podcast on automation testing. He has interviewed over 400 industry leaders and is the creator of Automation Guild, the premium, annual online event for test automation engineers. Joe has also hosted over 500 hours of live online events for some of the biggest companies in the software testing space. Joe's company, Test Guild, also provides services to software companies to help them reach a community of highly engaged, growth-oriented, and ambitious audience of 40k+ software testing professionals.
Connect with Joe Colantonio
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- Company: www.testguild.com
- Blog: www.testguild.com/blog
- LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/joecolantonio
- Twitter: www,twitter.com/joecolantonio
- YouTube:www.youtube.com/joecolantonio
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