Use of ChatGPT-4o in Software Testing

After looking at the demo for ChatGPT-4o, I am amazed by the speed at which Generative AI is transforming itself and how AI is getting more and more closer to reality. With ground-breaking features like real time audio, video and text analysis and responses, the future is not far away from us. ChatGPT-4o can prove to be an excellent weapon for software engineers to incorporate into their daily work, and with the intelligence and behaviour so similar to a real human, there might be a possibility that we may start involving generative AI more like a real colleague rather than an assistant.

Because ChatGPT-4o has so many distinct and new age features, it is highly important for testers to understand how we can utilize its strength with our craft. ChatGPT-4o can prove to be a very critical asset to our testing adventures. Let us look at few of the points where ChatGPT-4o can revolutionize and transform the software testing and QA Landscape.

Top 5 Possible Use-Cases of ChatGPT-4o in Software Testing

1. Use Conversational Strength of ChatGPT-4o for QA Meetings

We testers have a common thing. We attend a lot of meetings, be it any internal meeting with respect to our daily status and work tasks, the sprint grooming meetings for the requirements, or the bug triage meetings that endlessly go into loops. In the demo, we have seen how ChatGPT-4o talks like a human with us. It’s response time is impressive. It is also very creative with its choice of words. 4o shows capability of “awareness” and “being in the present moment”. This is seen by GPT’s intuitive behaviour, its curiosity while it asks questions to humans, and the way it interprets the said information. I think ChatGPT-4o is well-equipped with the skills needed to be a part of important work meetings. ChatGPT can help with –

• Generating action plans.
• Provide insights about the application and work related tasks.
• Note down observations and challenges with the tasks.
• Give inputs while thinking out of the box scenarios.
• Help with analytical tasks like report generation, documentation etc. based upon the data being discussed in the meeting (Would be really amazing if 4o can make this possible practically).

We can involve ChatGPT-4o like a real colleague into our meetings, have it get the gist of all the things that we are doing related to testing and ask it for suggestions, improvements and any other feedback.

2. Use GPT-4o to Analyze the Test Environment

ChatGPT-4o has become smart enough to understand what we are showing it. In the demo, we saw how it was able to understand the background objects, the clothes that the hosts were wearing and other relevant details. Similarly, if we turn our camera towards our test object, which is the software application on the screen, ChatGPT-4o can be used to.

1. Write test plans based on the module that we are showing it.
2. Test Estimation – Time and Resource.
3. Generate test cases based on the navigations shown and UI features shown to it.
4. Identify bugs and issues or understand any potential issues that may arise in future.

3. Use ChatGPT-4o as a “Buddy Tester”

There is a concept called “Peer-programming” in software development. It basically means that two or more developers work on coding a particular module of the application via screen share and take turns. This ensures that both developers are able to collaborate and develop the application better and faster. Similarly, in the testing landscape, there are tons of instances where we are testing a particular flow or module of the application while we screen share with our teammates. We also take turns so that everyone is aware of the details of the module of every fellow tester and able to complete testing goals faster when the need arises. This is called peer-testing.

If we start involving GPT-4o in peer – testing, it will be able to learn about the application very quickly. Although it does not have any automation or robotic process in-built inside it that can be used for completing testing, it can still be used to guide or help us in our peer-testing journey. It can give us verbal directions, help us navigate through the priority scenarios, and keep a check on our testing so that we don’t miss any corners.

4. Use ChatGPT-4o for Training & KT Sessions

KT sessions in the IT world are some of the most tiring tasks. These sessions can stretch to 1 or 2 hours depending upon the complexity of the application. Also, to make it smoother for new joiners to understand the process and the application, and the tasks that we do, it takes a lot of efforts to draft a proper KT plan and execute it while we are juggling with our daily tasks. QA’s nowadays don’t have much time on their plate to focus on knowledge sessions. However, this tasks can possibly be delegated to ChatGPT-4o now.

Since it is an AI, we can instruct it to draft a very good structured KT plan. Moreover, we can directly tell it to give KT to new members as per the plan. With the intelligence and critical thinking that it possesses right now, it can even go one step further and take reverse KT sessions as well.

5. Use ChatGPT-4o to Identify Potential Areas for Automation

If we start doing all of the above-mentioned things, slowly we will realize that GPT now understands what are the tasks that we do on a daily basis, and where is the majority of efforts going in. Furthermore, we can actually ask 4o to identify potential areas for automation testing in our current application. By analyzing our daily testing efforts, it will actually be able to generate some ideas regarding automation like –

1. It can identify repetitive and time – consuming test activities.
2. Areas where automation is feasible and necessary.
3. Help create an automation testing plan.
4. Assist with tool selection and framework design.

So these were some of the amazing use-cases that I can think of where ChatGPT-4o can do wonders in the software testing and QA space. Feel free to comment down any other possibilities that you can think of and that we can try out with 4o in the near future.