Smarter Week

AI and automation by role

How QA / Test engineers can use AI and automation

Below are 14 common tasks for QA / Test engineers, most common first. For each one you get the best fix (AI, automation, a feature in software you already have, or a simpler process), the steps to set it up and, for AI fixes, a prompt to copy.

Also called: QA Analyst, Tester, Test Engineer, SDET, Quality Assurance Engineer, Automation Tester

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Task 1 · typically 120 min, once a week

Click through manual regression tests before each release

AIBest fix

Turn your manual regression checklist into automated browser tests with AI

Coding agents and Playwright's code generator can turn written test steps into end-to-end tests that run on every build. Tools like QA Wolf, mabl and testRigor do this as a service.

Typically saves about 50% of the time8 h to set up
  1. 1Pick the 10 regression checks that take longest by hand.
  2. 2Give the steps to a coding agent with the prompt below, or record them with Playwright codegen.
  3. 3Run them in CI on every merge and review failures each morning.
  4. 4Keep only the checks that truly need a human eye as manual tests.
Prompt to copy
Write Playwright tests in [TYPESCRIPT / PYTHON] for these manual regression checks. Use the existing test setup in [FOLDER]. Prefer role- and label-based locators over CSS selectors. Each test should be independent and clean up its own data. After writing them, run them against [TEST URL] and fix flaky waits.

Checks:
[PASTE STEP-BY-STEP CHECKLIST]

Tools: Claude Code, OpenAI Codex, Cursor, GitHub Copilot agent mode or Devin Desktop (ex-Windsurf) · Playwright · QA Wolf · mabl · testRigor

One more way to fix it
AI

Have AI write the tests, then you check what they actually assert

Coding agents write good first-pass unit and integration tests in your existing style. Your job shifts to checking the cases and assertions are meaningful.

Typically saves about 45% of the time10 min to set up
  1. 1Point the agent at the file or function and an existing test file to copy the style from.
  2. 2Use the prompt below; ask for edge cases explicitly.
  3. 3Run the tests and make sure at least one fails if you break the code on purpose.
  4. 4Delete tests that only check mocks or repeat the implementation.
Prompt to copy
Write tests for [FILE OR FUNCTION] using [TEST FRAMEWORK], following the style of [EXISTING TEST FILE]. Cover the main behavior, edge cases ([EMPTY INPUT, LIMITS, ERRORS]), and any bug fixed recently in [AREA]. Prefer real objects over mocks where it is cheap. Run the tests, fix failures in the tests (not in the code), and list any behavior that looks like a bug instead of changing it.

Tools: Claude Code, OpenAI Codex, Cursor, GitHub Copilot agent mode or Devin Desktop (ex-Windsurf)

How to automate this task

Task 2 · typically 60 min, a few times a week

Write test cases and test plans from requirements

AIBest fix

Have AI draft test cases from the user story or spec

AI is good at listing happy paths, edge cases and negative cases from a spec. You remove the irrelevant ones and add product knowledge it does not have.

Typically saves about 50% of the time5 min to set up
  1. 1Paste the user story, acceptance criteria and any designs.
  2. 2Use the prompt below and ask for your test management tool's format.
  3. 3Prune and adjust, then import into TestRail, Xray, Zephyr or Qase (several now have built-in AI generation).
Prompt to copy
From the user story and acceptance criteria below, write test cases as a table with columns: ID, title, preconditions, steps, expected result, priority, type (happy path, edge, negative, accessibility). Cover each acceptance criterion at least once. List any questions where the spec is ambiguous instead of guessing.

[PASTE STORY, CRITERIA AND NOTES]

Tools: ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini or Microsoft Copilot · TestRail, Xray, Zephyr or Qase

How to automate this task

Task 3 · typically 20 min, every day

Reproduce bugs and write up bug reports

Software featureBest fix

Capture bugs with a tool that records steps, logs and screenshots for you

Bug capture tools grab the screen recording, console logs, network calls and browser details in one click, and some write the report with AI.

Typically saves about 45% of the time15 min to set up
  1. 1Install a capture tool your company allows: Jam, Marker.io, BugHerd, or use Sentry session replay.
  2. 2Connect it to Jira, Linear or GitHub Issues.
  3. 3When you hit a bug, capture it and let the tool create the ticket with everything attached.
  4. 4Ask product and support to use it too, so you get fewer "it is broken" reports.

Tools: Jam · Marker.io · BugHerd · Sentry session replay · Loom

One more way to fix it
AI

Debug with AI by giving it the error, the code and what you tried

AI is fast at reading stack traces and logs and suggesting likely causes. A coding agent can also reproduce the failure and try fixes in the repo.

Typically saves about 30% of the time5 min to set up
  1. 1Collect the error message, stack trace, relevant logs and the code involved.
  2. 2Paste them into your coding assistant, or run a coding agent in the repo so it can read the code itself.
  3. 3Ask for ranked hypotheses before asking for a fix.
  4. 4Confirm the root cause with a failing test before you accept the fix.
Prompt to copy
I am debugging [SHORT DESCRIPTION]. Expected: [WHAT SHOULD HAPPEN]. Actual: [WHAT HAPPENS]. Here is the error and stack trace, the relevant code, and what I have already tried. Give me the three most likely causes ranked by probability, how to confirm each one, and then the smallest fix for the most likely cause. Do not rewrite unrelated code.

Error and logs:
[PASTE]

Code:
[PASTE]

Already tried:
[PASTE]

Tools: Claude Code, OpenAI Codex, Cursor, GitHub Copilot agent mode or Devin Desktop (ex-Windsurf) · ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini or Microsoft Copilot

How to automate this task

Task 4 · typically 45 min, a few times a week

Write unit and integration tests

AIBest fix

Have AI write the tests, then you check what they actually assert

Coding agents write good first-pass unit and integration tests in your existing style. Your job shifts to checking the cases and assertions are meaningful.

Typically saves about 45% of the time10 min to set up
  1. 1Point the agent at the file or function and an existing test file to copy the style from.
  2. 2Use the prompt below; ask for edge cases explicitly.
  3. 3Run the tests and make sure at least one fails if you break the code on purpose.
  4. 4Delete tests that only check mocks or repeat the implementation.
Prompt to copy
Write tests for [FILE OR FUNCTION] using [TEST FRAMEWORK], following the style of [EXISTING TEST FILE]. Cover the main behavior, edge cases ([EMPTY INPUT, LIMITS, ERRORS]), and any bug fixed recently in [AREA]. Prefer real objects over mocks where it is cheap. Run the tests, fix failures in the tests (not in the code), and list any behavior that looks like a bug instead of changing it.

Tools: Claude Code, OpenAI Codex, Cursor, GitHub Copilot agent mode or Devin Desktop (ex-Windsurf)

One more way to fix it
AI

Hand well-scoped tasks to a coding agent and review its pull request

Coding agents like Claude Code, OpenAI Codex, Cursor's agent and GitHub Copilot's coding agent can read the repo, make multi-file changes and run the tests. They do best on clear, bounded tasks you can review quickly.

Typically saves about 30% of the time30 min to set up
  1. 1Check which coding agent your company approves and that it has access to the repo.
  2. 2Add a short instructions file to the repo (CLAUDE.md, AGENTS.md or .cursor/rules) with how to build, test and the conventions to follow.
  3. 3Give it a ticket-sized task with acceptance criteria, using the prompt below.
  4. 4Let it run the tests; read the diff as carefully as a colleague's PR.
  5. 5Start with tests, refactors, small features and config changes before larger work.
Prompt to copy
Task: [WHAT TO BUILD OR CHANGE]. Context: [RELEVANT FILES OR MODULES]. Acceptance criteria: [LIST]. Constraints: follow the existing patterns in [EXAMPLE FILE], do not add new dependencies, do not change public APIs unless needed. First read the relevant code and give me a short plan. After I approve, make the change, add or update tests, run the test suite and linter, and summarize what you changed and anything you were unsure about.

Tools: Claude Code, OpenAI Codex, Cursor, GitHub Copilot agent mode or Devin Desktop (ex-Windsurf)

How to automate this task

Task 5 · typically 30 min, every day

Wait on slow CI builds and re-run flaky tests

Process fixBest fix

Speed up CI and quarantine flaky tests

Most slow pipelines have a few big causes: no caching, tests not split, and flaky tests that force reruns. Fixing these once saves every engineer time every day.

Typically saves about 35% of the time8 h to set up
  1. 1Look at your CI timing report and find the three slowest steps.
  2. 2Turn on dependency and build caching, and run only the tests affected by the change where your tooling supports it.
  3. 3Split the test suite across parallel runners.
  4. 4Use flaky-test detection (Trunk, Buildkite Test Engine, Datadog CI Visibility or your CI's built-in) to quarantine flaky tests and open a ticket for each.
  5. 5Set a target build time and review it monthly.

Tools: GitHub Actions, GitLab CI, CircleCI or Buildkite · Trunk Flaky Tests · Datadog CI Visibility · Nx, Turborepo or Bazel caching

How to automate this task

Task 6 · typically 20 min, every day

Chase tickets that bounce between teams

Process fixBest fix

Publish an ownership map and one intake form so tickets land right first time

Tickets bounce because nobody is sure who owns what. A clear ownership map and a required-fields intake form stop most reassignments.

Typically saves about 35% of the time2 h to set up
  1. 1List the systems and services and name an owning team for each.
  2. 2Publish it where people file tickets, and mirror it in CODEOWNERS and your ticket tool's components.
  3. 3Use one intake form with required fields (system, impact, steps to reproduce).
  4. 4Set a rule: the receiving team reassigns once at most, with a comment, or keeps it.
  5. 5Review the most-bounced tickets each month and fix the map.

Tools: Jira, Linear or ServiceNow · Backstage or a service catalog · Confluence or Notion

One more way to fix it
Software feature

Turn on the AI agent in your service desk to answer and route tickets

ServiceNow Now Assist, Jira Service Management with Rovo, Freshservice Freddy AI and Zendesk AI can answer common questions from your knowledge base in Slack or Teams and route the rest to the right queue.

Typically saves about 40% of the time4 h to set up
  1. 1Check which AI features your service desk license includes.
  2. 2Connect it to your knowledge base and to Slack or Teams so people ask there.
  3. 3Turn on automatic categorization and routing for new tickets.
  4. 4Start with the 20 most common questions and check its answers weekly.
  5. 5Fix or write knowledge articles where it answers badly.

Tools: ServiceNow Now Assist · Jira Service Management with Atlassian Rovo · Freshservice Freddy AI · Zendesk AI agents · Moveworks

How to automate this task

Task 7 · typically 15 min, every day

Update tickets and write PR descriptions

AutomationBest fix

Let branches and PRs move tickets, and let AI write the PR description

Jira, Linear and GitHub can move tickets automatically when you open, merge or deploy a PR, and Copilot or other AI tools can draft the PR description from the diff.

Typically saves about 60% of the time30 min to set up
  1. 1Connect GitHub or GitLab to Jira or Linear and include the ticket key in the branch name.
  2. 2Turn on automations: PR opened moves to "In review", merged moves to "Done" or "Ready to deploy".
  3. 3Use the PR summary button in GitHub Copilot, or ask your coding agent to write the description.
  4. 4Stop updating ticket status by hand.

Tools: Jira automation · Linear GitHub integration · GitHub Copilot PR summaries

How to automate this task

Task 8 · typically 60 min, a few times a week

Sit in standups, sprint planning and retros

Process fixBest fix

Cut sprint ceremonies to what the team actually uses

Many teams run every ceremony at full length out of habit. Async standups, shorter planning and less frequent retros keep the value with less meeting time.

Typically saves about 30% of the time30 min to set up
  1. 1Move the daily standup to an async check-in in chat on most days.
  2. 2Have the lead and PM pre-groom the backlog so planning is about choices, not reading tickets.
  3. 3Run retros every other sprint, or only when something went wrong.
  4. 4Time-box every ceremony and end early when done.

Tools: Slack or Teams · Geekbot or a Slack workflow · Jira or Linear

One more way to fix it
Process fix

Replace the status meeting with a written update

Everyone posts three lines in a shared thread before a set time; you only meet when something is blocked.

Typically saves about 60% of the time15 min to set up
  1. 1Agree a format: done, next, blocked.
  2. 2Create a channel or a thread that repeats every week.
  3. 3Ask everyone to post by a set time; the lead reads them and replies to the blockers.
  4. 4Keep a shorter meeting only for the blockers, or cancel it outright.

Tools: Slack, Teams or email

How to automate this task

Task 9 · typically 60 min, once a week

Coordinate releases and deployments by hand

AutomationBest fix

Deploy automatically on merge and use feature flags for releases

When every merge deploys through the pipeline and risky changes hide behind flags, there is no release-day coordination: shipping is routine and rollback is a toggle.

Typically saves about 55% of the time16 h to set up
  1. 1Automate deploys from the main branch to staging, then production after checks pass.
  2. 2Add automatic rollback on failed health checks.
  3. 3Use feature flags (LaunchDarkly, Statsig, Unleash or your platform's flags) to separate deploying from releasing.
  4. 4Generate release notes from merged PRs automatically.

Tools: GitHub Actions, GitLab CI or Argo CD · LaunchDarkly · Statsig · Unleash

How to automate this task

Task 10 · typically 45 min, every day

Answer Slack pings and drop-in questions while trying to focus

Process fixBest fix

Rotate one person on interrupt duty so everyone else can focus

One person each week takes questions, small requests and support pings. Everyone else gets long stretches of uninterrupted time.

Typically saves about 40% of the time30 min to set up
  1. 1Create a team help channel and a weekly "on duty" rotation (Slack or Teams user group, or PagerDuty or Opsgenie schedule).
  2. 2Point all questions and small requests at the channel, not individuals.
  3. 3The person on duty answers, fixes small things or files tickets.
  4. 4Everyone else mutes the channel and blocks focus time.
  5. 5Turn repeat questions into FAQ entries during the duty week.

Tools: Slack or Teams user groups · PagerDuty or Opsgenie schedules

One more way to fix it
AI

Write the answers down once and point people (or a bot) at them

Collect the questions you keep answering into one page; a workspace AI or a ChatGPT Project, Claude Project or Gem can answer from it.

Typically saves about 50% of the time1 h to set up
  1. 1For one week, paste every repeat question into a doc.
  2. 2Write the answer under each (or have AI draft it from your replies).
  3. 3Share the page, pin it in chat, and add it to a Claude Project, ChatGPT Project, Gemini Gem or Copilot agent.
  4. 4Reply to repeat questions with the link.
Prompt to copy
Below are questions coworkers keep asking me and my past answers. Turn them into a clear FAQ page grouped by topic. Keep each answer under 80 words and keep any links I gave.

[PASTE QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS]

Tools: Claude Projects · ChatGPT Projects · Gemini Gems · Copilot agents · Notion or Confluence

How to automate this task

Task 11 · typically 40 min, once a week

Write weekly status updates or reports

AIBest fix

Turn your rough notes into the weekly update with AI

Jot bullet points through the week; AI turns them into a clean update in the format your manager expects.

Typically saves about 60% of the time5 min to set up
  1. 1Keep a running note of what you did and what is blocked.
  2. 2Paste the note and last week's update (for format) into the AI assistant.
  3. 3Use the prompt below and check every fact.
  4. 4Send it or post it.
Prompt to copy
Turn my rough notes into this week's status update. Match the format and length of last week's update. Group by project, lead with results, flag anything blocked and what I need. Do not add anything that is not in my notes.

Last week's update:
[PASTE]

My notes this week:
[PASTE]

Tools: ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini or Microsoft Copilot

How to automate this task

Task 12 · typically 15 min, a few times a week

Chase people for approvals or sign-offs

AutomationBest fix

Move approvals into a tracked workflow with reminders

Approvals in Teams/Power Automate, Slack Workflows, or your e-signature tool remind people for you and show what is stuck.

Typically saves about 60% of the time1 h to set up
  1. 1List the approvals you chase most.
  2. 2Set up an approval flow (Power Automate Approvals, Slack Workflow Builder, DocuSign or your HR/finance system).
  3. 3Add automatic reminders after 24 hours.
  4. 4Agree a default: no answer in 48 hours means it goes ahead (where safe).

Tools: Power Automate Approvals · Slack Workflow Builder · DocuSign or Adobe Acrobat Sign

How to automate this task

Task 13 · typically 20 min, every day

Hunt for files, numbers or answers someone already has

Software featureBest fix

Ask your workspace AI instead of searching folders

Microsoft Copilot (formerly Microsoft Copilot), Gemini in Google Workspace, Glean, Notion AI and Slack AI can answer questions from your company's own files, chats and email.

Typically saves about 50% of the time10 min to set up
  1. 1Check whether your company already pays for Copilot, Gemini in Google Workspace, Glean, Notion AI or Slack AI.
  2. 2Ask it the question in plain words, e.g. "What did we quote Acme for the Q3 renewal?"
  3. 3Open the source it cites to confirm.
  4. 4If you have none of these, ask IT. It is often cheaper than the hours lost.

Tools: Microsoft Copilot · Gemini in Google Workspace · Glean · Notion AI · Slack AI

One more way to fix it
Process fix

Agree one home for each kind of file

Most searching comes from the same thing living in three places. Pick one place per type and link to it.

Typically saves about 35% of the time1 h to set up
  1. 1List the five things people search for most.
  2. 2Pick one home for each (one folder, one wiki page, one system).
  3. 3Pin the links in your team channel.
  4. 4Move or delete the copies.

Tools: SharePoint, Google Drive, Notion or Confluence

How to automate this task

Task 14 · typically 90 min, once a month

Write how-to guides or training material

AIBest fix

Record yourself doing it once and let AI write the guide

Record your screen while you talk through the task; AI turns the transcript into a step-by-step guide.

Typically saves about 60% of the time10 min to set up
  1. 1Record your screen and voice doing the task once (Loom, Teams, Zoom or Scribe).
  2. 2Get the transcript.
  3. 3Paste it into AI with the prompt below.
  4. 4Add screenshots where it says [SCREENSHOT].
Prompt to copy
Turn this transcript of me doing [TASK] into a step-by-step how-to guide for a new hire. Number the steps, keep each to one action, mark where a screenshot helps with [SCREENSHOT], and list common mistakes at the end.

[PASTE TRANSCRIPT]

Tools: Loom · Scribe · Tango · ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini or Microsoft Copilot

How to automate this task

Quick wins

Have you tried…

Have you asked an AI that can see your company files a question, instead of digging through folders?
Microsoft Copilot (formerly Microsoft Copilot), Gemini in Google Workspace, Glean and similar tools search your email, chats and files and answer with links to the source.
Have you recorded yourself doing a task and had AI turn it into a written guide?
Record your screen while you talk, and AI writes the step-by-step guide from the transcript. Tools like Scribe even grab the screenshots.
Do you start long documents from an AI first draft built on your own notes?
Give the AI your notes, the audience and an example you like. Editing a draft is much faster than writing from a blank page.
Have you had AI write tests for code you just wrote?
A coding assistant can write unit and integration tests in your existing style. You check that the assertions really test the behavior.
Have you let an AI notetaker write your meeting notes and action items?
Tools like Copilot in Teams, Zoom AI Companion or Otter join the call, write the summary and list who owes what. You just check it and send.
Have you had AI draft a reply to a tricky or routine email?
You paste the email and say the point you want to make; the AI writes a draft you edit. Outlook and Gmail now have this built in.
Do you send a booking link instead of emailing back and forth about times?
A booking link shows your free times so the other person picks one. Outlook and Google Calendar both have this built in.
Have you connected two apps so information copies itself between them?
Tools like Zapier, Make or Power Automate watch for something new in one app and create it in the other, so nobody retypes it.

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