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The SDET Evolution

5 min read
Test AutoPerf Eng

Test Auto

AI writes tests. You design the system that makes those tests reliable and useful.

Perf Eng

Performance testing is automated. Strategy and interpretation remain human.

The SDET Evolution

TL;DR

  • AI generates test code. That was the SDET's bread and butter. The coding part shrinks.
  • Your value shifts: test architecture, framework design, flake reduction, and quality velocity. AI implements; you design.
  • SDET becomes "test architect" or "quality platform engineer." Less writing tests, more enabling others to test well.

SDETs have always been hybrid: part developer, part tester. AI takes the grunt work. The architecture and strategy pieces become the core of the role.

What AI Automates

  • Test authoring. AI writes Selenium, Playwright, Cypress, API tests. You review and refine.
  • Maintenance. Selectors broke? AI suggests fixes. Flaky test? AI proposes waits or refactors.
  • Boilerplate. Page objects, fixtures, data setup. AI generates. You ensure consistency.
  • Documentation. Test plans, reports, coverage analysis. AI drafts. You own accuracy.

What Becomes the Focus

1. Test architecture. How does our test pyramid look? What's automated where? AI can generate tests; it can't design the pyramid. You own the strategy.

2. Framework and tooling. Build the platform developers and QA use to run tests. CI integration, reporting, environments. AI helps with implementation; you own the design.

3. Flake and reliability. AI generates tests that often flake. You establish patterns: retries, waits, isolation. You reduce noise so failures mean something.

4. Quality velocity. How fast can we get feedback? AI speeds test creation; you speed the loop. Parallelization, slicing, prioritization—you design it.

5. Enabling developers. Shift-left means developers run more tests. You build the path: "here's how to add a test, here's how to run it." AI can generate examples; you own the workflow.

The Shift

From "I write the automation" to "I own the system that makes automation fast, reliable, and usable by the whole team." Same technical depth—different leverage point.

Manual process. Repetitive tasks. Limited scale.

Click "With AI" to see the difference →

Quick Check

What remains human when AI automates more of this role?

Do This Next

  1. Audit your test framework. What would a new developer need to add and run a test? Simplify it. Document it. AI can help draft; you own the UX.
  2. Identify one flake hotspot in your suite. Use AI to suggest fixes—refactors, waits, isolation. Implement. Measure: did flake go down? Iterate.