QA Professionals Embrace AI Despite Growing Concerns, Says Katalon’s 2025 Report
“QA professionals are under immense pressure to move faster without sacrificing quality. Their impact is finally being recognized, with 48% of organizations now seeing QA as a key differentiator,” said Vu Lam, CEO of Katalon.
The rapid rise of AI in software testing is transforming the role of Quality Assurance (QA) professionals, even as concerns over job security grow. According to Katalon’s newly released 2025 State of Software Quality Report, QA testers who use AI tools are twice as likely to fear being replaced, highlighting a paradox in the industry. However, the same professionals are leveraging AI to test faster, improve their skills, and rediscover job satisfaction.
As AI reshapes software testing, 82% of QA professionals believe AI skills will be essential within the next 3 to 5 years. The report shows that those with strong AI fluency are excelling in areas like test planning and problem-solving, integrating AI concepts to enhance real-world applications. To keep pace with these changes, 67% of teams are investing in continuous learning, while 53% are adopting AI-driven testing practices to stay ahead of industry demands.
AI’s Expanding Role in QA
For advanced teams, QA is evolving beyond defect detection into a strategic business function. The report reveals that 77% of respondents say aligning QA with business goals has directly improved customer retention. These findings reflect a broader shift where quality assurance is becoming a competitive advantage rather than a back-office function.
The report highlights several key insights. AI-powered hybrid testers—those who blend AI, automation, and manual testing—are leading innovation in software quality. High-maturity QA teams using these testers are 1.3 times more likely to adopt AI-driven test optimization and 1.8 times more likely to implement intelligent test maintenance, such as self-healing tests. Happier QA professionals are proving to be more effective, as they are 1.4 times more likely to implement advanced automation solutions and report AI-driven efficiency gains (71% vs. 52%). AI-driven testing adoption is growing, with 61% of QA teams using it to automate repetitive tasks, allowing them to focus on higher-value work. Additionally, organizations are investing in performance and load testing tools (34%) and test management platforms (30%) to optimize workflows and scale quality. High-performing teams are modernizing their approach by adopting AI-driven tools (61%), implementing modern development practices (51%), and investing in continuous testing (40%), all of which accelerate software release cycles while maintaining trust and quality.
What’s Next for AI in QA?
Katalon is inviting industry experts and QA leaders to discuss the report’s findings and the future of AI-driven testing at a virtual summit on April 24.