AI Adoption in Software Testing Hits 92%, but Defects Rise
Event summary
- Applause's 2026 State of Digital Quality Report shows 92% of respondents now use AI in functional testing, up from 60% in 2025.
- 29% of organizations report an increase in the number or severity of defects despite AI adoption.
- 86% of respondents consider human involvement extremely important in functional testing.
- 66% of organizations have documented AI use policies, but only 20% consider them clear and robust.
The big picture
The report highlights a critical tension in software development: AI accelerates testing but struggles to replicate human judgment in evaluating real-world usability. As organizations push for faster release cycles, the challenge lies in integrating AI with human expertise to maintain quality. This trend reflects broader industry shifts toward intelligent automation and the need for adaptive governance frameworks in AI-driven workflows.
What we're watching
- Defect Trends
- Whether the rise in defects correlates with specific AI testing methodologies or implementation challenges.
- Policy Development
- The pace at which organizations refine AI use policies to balance speed and quality.
- Human-AI Integration
- How teams adapt human expertise to complement AI in evaluating complex, agentic systems.