How Machine Learning Can Be Used In Software Testing [Updated]

Every other day new technologies are emerging into the market making life easier, faster and smoother. Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning are technologies that are now a part of our lives. In day-to-day life, we use Smartphones, electronic cars, drones, which are born from AI. Apple’s Siri and Amazon’s Alexa have become part of our family. 

Machine learning origin dates back to 1952 and its data-driven approach came decades after in the ’90s. As per reports, the global machine learning platforms market size is projected to reach $31,36 billion by 2028. Machine learning is to learn computer manipulations and the extraction of data. It emphasizes developing programs that have the capability to access their own data. It is autonomous and has given birth to modern AI. 

So evidently, we already are using ML in our daily life, so now the question arises how ML is useful in testing? 

When everything is going so fast, any new technology in software testing is expected to add obvious complications in the software lifecycle like: 

• Shorter delivery time 

• Less time with testers to test the product 

• Testing the same scenarios again & again 

• Short release time. 

Testing manually is not feasible in the above-mentioned scenario. So, the smarter choice is to adopt the technologies that help us to keep pace with change. From technology, we refer to integrating AI and ML testing services to improve and streamline the QA operations. Many topmost companies like Apple, Amazon, and Facebook already have started using machine learning applications. 

In Facebook’s case, it helps in getting data like what type of content users want, like and how often they communicate with the world. 

The Impact Of AI And ML In Test Automation Process 

Earlier programmers and developers had to input code. However, the future holds active use of artificial intelligence in quality assurance and software testing. The computer would carry out instructions according to the language used by the developer but still coding is done and is necessary, but the way developers interact with systems is different, at least when it comes to software testing using machine learning. 

Now, developers act more like trainers, guiding the system and offering tips or advice in the form of objects and play with them which enforces the system to carry out the thinking and work to achieve desired goals. It may sound crazy to describe a machine or computer as a “thinking” thing, but it’s true. The computer can tap into an endless supply of data to piece together everything it needs then make decisions and hit the goals (“bull’s eye”). 

In most cases, the way in which the system figures out an answer is a mystery. Many Applications or autonomous machine learning platforms exist with pre-built testing techniques incorporated already that carry out steps themselves. The development team knows what’s happening on a basic level but may not truly understand what the software is doing behind the scenes to find the answer. Such gaps widen the role of artificial intelligence methods in software testing and development. 

Wondering How AI can complement software testing lifecycle? 

Read Here: Automate Software Testing with AI 

So, What Are the Advantages of Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning on Testing? 

The magic lies here - The machine or platform in question is able to not only automate but influence the way in which testing takes place. At an instance, it knows there is a defect, but more importantly what may be causing it. It may also be able to make suggestions to remedy the problem in real-time or even have the capacity to fix the problem on its own.  

Software testing using artificial intelligence and machine learning is capable of parsing time-consuming tasks. Test automation using AI & ML could transform the development and testing phase into a more convenient experience for developers. Of course, it’s going to take some time to perfect the systems and backbone that can do such a thing, but we are getting an inch closer every day. 

Challenges Of Testing In ML 

Testing machine learning applications poses several unique challenges compared to traditional software testing. Some of the key challenges include: 

1. Lack of oracle: In traditional software testing, testers compare the program's outputs against predetermined expected outputs. However, in machine learning, the desired outputs are often unknown or difficult to define. The lack of a clear oracle makes it challenging to assess the correctness of ML models. 

1. Data quality and bias: Machine learning models heavily rely on data for training and testing. Ensuring the quality of the data is crucial, as biased or poor-quality data can lead to biased or inaccurate models. Identifying and addressing data biases and ensuring data integrity pose significant challenges. 

1. Data distribution shift: Machine learning models are sensitive to changes in the distribution of input data. When deployed in real-world scenarios, the data distribution may change over time, causing the model's performance to degrade. It is challenging to anticipate and simulate all possible distribution shifts during testing. 

1. Overfitting and generalization: Overfitting occur when a model performs well on the training data but fails to generalize to unseen data. Testing must evaluate a model's ability to generalize and perform well on real-world data beyond the training set. Ensuring the right balance between underfitting and overfitting is challenging. 

1. Hyperparameter tuning: Testing ML applications often have various hyperparameters that need to be tuned to achieve optimal performance. Determining the best combination of hyperparameters is a challenge, and testing needs to explore a wide range of hyperparameter values to find the optimal settings. 

1. Evaluation metrics: Choosing appropriate evaluation metrics for machine learning models is crucial but can be challenging. Accuracy is not always the most suitable metric, especially in imbalanced datasets. Defining and interpreting evaluation metrics that align with the problem domain is often complex. 

1. Interpretability and explainability: Many machine learning models, such as deep neural networks, are considered black boxes, making it challenging to understand and explain their decision-making process. Testing models that lack interpretability and explainability is difficult, as it is hard to identify and diagnose potential issues. 

1. Computational resources: Machine learning in test automation can be computationally intensive and require substantial resources for testing. Performing thorough testing on large datasets or complex models can be time-consuming and resource-demanding, presenting practical challenges. 

Testing Best Practices For Machine Learning Applications 

Testing machine learning applications requires specific best practices to ensure reliable and robust models. These practices include:  

1) Collecting diverse and representative training data 

2) Establishing a clear evaluation strategy with appropriate metrics 

3) Conducting unit tests on individual components 

4) Performing integration tests to validate the overall system behavior 

5) Utilizing cross-validation to assess model performance 

6) Implementing continuous integration and continuous deployment pipelines 

7) Employing techniques like A/B testing for model comparison 

8) Incorporating adversarial testing to evaluate model resilience, and  

9) Regularly retraining and retesting models to account for data drift.  

These practices promote quality assurance and help mitigate risks in machine learning applications. 

Accept The Change 

Software testers have nothing to worry about the introduction of artificial intelligence in software testing. Instead, they must think about how Machine learning and artificial intelligence methods in software testing could be harnessed. With the introduction of ML, we still need testers for its execution because AI lacks some important types of checks like scalability, performance, documentation, and security. 

We already know the ability of AI and ML in the past and how role of AI in software testing in the near future. The software industry, in particular, will see a lot of changes. As per my experience, I have seen when any change is going to happen, we always create some illusions of it but never think of accepting such changes. 

And since we understand how artificial intelligence and the future of testing are co-related, we have to create a mindset on it how we must work with it, what is the skill set required to upgrade ourselves. 

Future Trends Of AI & ML In Testing 

There is no denial to the fact that machine learning is redefining the software testing industry. And therefore, in the future, AI and ML will continue to revolutionize the field of software testing. AI-powered test automation tools will become more sophisticated, capable of intelligently generating test cases, identifying patterns, and predicting potential defects.  

ML algorithms will enable the creation of intelligent test prioritization and optimization techniques, allowing testers to focus their efforts on critical areas. AI will also enhance test data generation and improve test coverage analysis.  

Additionally, ML algorithms will be leveraged for anomaly detection and root cause analysis, enabling faster debugging and issue resolution. Overall, AI and ML will play a vital role in accelerating the testing process, enhancing quality, and reducing time-to-market for software products. 

Benefits A Software Tester Gets With The Introduction Of AI And ML 

• A chance to upgrade the skill set 

• Accuracy in work 

• Faster Testing 

• AI expands the overall length and scope of testing. 

The Crux 

Breakthrough in these technologies will be worth many Microsoft’s and Amazon’s. Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning will broaden our horizon and opportunities. Now, this might be a question in everyone’s mind Manual testing will be overtaken by AI and ML? 

The answer is: ‘NO’. Both will coexist because manual intervention is required by software testing company to design test strategies. Software testers need to build their data science skills and should be able to understand how Machine Learning works. 

Need any assistance implementing ML testing for your ongoing or upcoming project? Reach our team at info@bugraptors.com