NorthQA participates in the Test Automation Summit 2025 in Manila

What is TAS 2025 by Testingmind

Test Automation Summit 2025 was held on 21 November 2025 in Manila (venue: Seda BGC). The Summit organized by Testingmind featured a single track with 10+ speakers, including keynotes, featured talks, and panel discussions.

Its main theme was "The Next Generation Testing: AI in Quality Assurance and Beyond."

TAS aims to bring together QA professionals, automation engineers, testers, and industry leaders offering knowledge sharing, networking, and exposure to the latest trends in test automation / quality engineering.

In short: it's a one-day, high-density conference good for busy professionals who want a comprehensive but time-efficient QA/automation update.

Key Sessions & Themes That Stood Out

Here are some of the more impactful talks and ideas from TAS 2025:

"From Quality Assured to People-Assured: The Human Core of AI Testing" by a keynote speaker focused on framing AI-driven testing not just as code but as a human-centric practice, balancing automation with ethics, empathy and leadership.

"Built on Quality: The Rise of Full-Stack Engineers with Testing in Their DNA" a talk that explored how the role of QA/Test Automation is evolving: testers are now becoming full-stack engineers, embedding quality into development from the ground up.

"Agentic AI for Testing: From Static Scripts to Autonomous Quality Engineers" delving into how AI/ML and agentic systems are beginning to reshape software testing, enabling autonomous test generation, bug reproduction, self-healing tests, and more.

Sessions on performance testing trends, low-code / no-code automation frameworks, and GenAI-assisted QA reflecting how 2025's QA/automation ecosystem is rapidly changing, not only in tools but in workflows, team roles, and mindset.

Taken together: the Summit gave a broad yet detailed snapshot of where test automation is heading: AI-powered, integrated into development lifecycles, and evolving from "testing phase" into "ongoing quality engineering."

What Worked: Strengths of TAS 2025

Relevance & Timing. The focus on AI, GenAI, autonomous agents and modern QA workflows matches what many companies are looking at now especially as software projects scale and release cycles speed up.

Diverse Speaker Lineup. From senior QA engineers to data/AI experts, the program offered a variety of perspectives: technical, managerial, strategic, and even philosophical (e.g. human-centric QA).

Practical + Strategic Mix. There was balance: not just high-level vision (future of QA + AI) but also actionable advice: how to integrate automation in CI/CD pipelines, how to scale test automation, when to use no/low-code frameworks, etc.

Networking & Community Building. For QA practitioners especially in Manila/Philippines getting to meet peers, swap ideas, and connect with global QA professionals offers value beyond slides and talks.

Accessibility for Busy Professionals. Because it was a one-day, single-track event doable for working testers, developers, QA leads without long time away from work.

What Could Be Improved / What I Wish Was Different

One-day, Single Track = Tradeoffs. While efficient, one track means limited time and breadth. Attendees with different interests (e.g. mobile testing, security, performance, automation frameworks) might find few sessions relevant it's impossible to cover everything.

Depth vs. Breadth. For some cutting-edge topics like "Agentic AI for Testing" one talk may not be enough to truly understand implications; hands-on workshops or multi-session deep dives would help.

Follow-up Support & Resources. After a big, insight-rich event, implementing new ideas (like AI-powered QA or full-stack testing roles) needs follow-up resources, training which may or may not be available. A more structured "post-summit toolkit" could help.

Local Context vs Global Trends. While global best practices and advanced AI-driven QA ideas are great organizations in the Philippines or similar markets may face constraints (legacy systems, limited budgets, skill gaps). The Summit could benefit from more localized case studies.

My Take: Is TAS 2025 Worth It and For Whom

If you are a QA/Test-Automation engineer, QA lead, or developer interested in modernizing your QA practices?

Yes, I believe TAS 2025 is very much worth attending. It gives a solid pulse check on where the industry is heading, and offers both high-level vision and practical advice. It opens another areas of improvements as QA/QE personnel.

It's especially valuable for:

Teams considering adopting AI/genAI-powered QA tools
Organizations wanting to integrate QA earlier in development (shift-left)
Individuals aiming to evolve from "tester" to "quality engineer / full-stack test-aware developer"
Professionals who want to build networks in the QA/testing community — locally or globally

If I were you, I'd attend again — but also push for post-summit internal sessions: workshop the new ideas with your team, evaluate which ones fit your workflows, and plan gradual adoption (rather than trying everything at once).

Learning Beyond Limits: Insights from the Test Automation Summit Manila

The recent Test Automation Summit Manila gathered QA professionals, engineers, leaders, and enthusiasts to learn, evolve, and rethink the future of testing. What became clear throughout the event is this:

Quality is accelerating, and the people behind it must accelerate as well.

The industry is changing fast. QA roles are expanding, automation is evolving, and AI is rewriting the rules of how software is tested and delivered.

Below is a consolidated reflection on the core lessons from the summit, including insights from the speakers, the shift from QA to QE, testing challenges, and the rising influence of AI in the IT landscape.

From QA to QE: Built on Quality (Talk by Ms. Michelle)

One of the most impactful sessions came from Ms. Michelle, who highlighted how QA professionals have transformed into Quality Engineers (QEs) and even into full-stack contributors.

This shift didn't happen overnight — it's driven by constant learning, upskilling, and adapting to tools and technologies that did not exist just a few years ago.

Why QA → QE is happening:

Applications are becoming more complex
Teams are more Agile and cross-functional
Testing is no longer just execution — it's analysis, architecture, automation, and prevention
The industry expects QA to understand APIs, databases, cloud, CI/CD, and automation

Her message was direct:

Quality is built, not tested. And it's built by people who never stop learning.

Test Charters vs Test Cases: A Better Fit for Agile

A valuable takeaway from the summit was the importance of test charters in Agile environments.

Why test cases fall short in Agile:

Too detailed and time-consuming
Hard to maintain when requirements change frequently
Encourage step-by-step execution instead of exploration

Why test charters shine:

Focus on coverage, not steps
Enable exploratory and risk-based testing
Adapt quickly to rapid changes
Encourage testers to think, analyze, and explore

In Agile teams, test charters allow QEs to deliver more meaningful coverage in significantly less time.

Service Virtualization: Insights from PARASOFT

The session from the head of Sales at PARASOFT introduced many attendees to the real-world impact of Service Virtualization, a solution that is becoming essential in modern QA ecosystems.

What Service Virtualization Is:

A technique where unavailable, unstable, or costly components are replaced with virtual simulations, enabling full testing even when the real systems don't exist or can't be accessed.

What can be virtualized?

APIs
Databases
Third-party services
Payment gateways
Message queues
IoT devices
Legacy systems

Why it's powerful:

Removes blockers when components are incomplete
Enables earlier test automation
Reduces dependency risks
Saves cost and time
Allows full end-to-end testing without waiting for other teams

Upskilling in Service Virtualization is no longer optional for teams dealing with microservices and distributed architectures — it's becoming a core testing skill.

The Increasing Need for Testing

The summit reinforced timeless truths about why testing remains critical:

Testing helps teams:

Detect defects early
Ensure high product quality and reliability
Prevent regression issues
Maintain consistency across releases
Build user trust

As systems grow bigger and faster, testing becomes even more important — not less.

The Real Challenges QA Faces Today

The speakers also addressed the common pain points that QA teams face:

Time, budget, and pressure
Lack of knowledge or specialization
Overconfidence or reliance on automation alone
Negative Responsibility Transfer (developers treating QA as final gatekeepers instead of quality partners)
Repetitive tasks leading to boredom
Complex environments with multiple integrations, tools, and dependencies

Recognizing these challenges is essential — solving them requires skill-building, better tools, automation, and strong collaboration.

Performance Testing Trends (Talk by Wilson Alejandrino)

Wilson Alejandrino delivered an in-demand session on Performance Testing Trends, touching on how performance is no longer an afterthought but a built-in expectation.

Top Performance Trends Today:

Shift-left performance engineering
API-first and microservices load testing
Cloud-native / container-aware performance monitoring
Data-driven load generation
Predictive analytics and AIOps
Continuous performance testing within CI/CD pipelines

High performance is now a baseline requirement — not a "nice to have."

AI's Takeover of QA and Test Automation

One of the biggest themes echoing across multiple sessions — both directly and indirectly — was the role of AI in reshaping IT, QA, and automation.

AI is no longer a future trend. It's already here — and it's changing testing at every level.

How AI Is Transforming QA:

Generating test cases automatically
Detecting defects before execution using predictive models
Self-healing test scripts (AI fixes broken locators)
Automated API discovery and test generation
Better test coverage through AI-driven analysis
AI-powered exploratory testing assistants
Root cause analysis at machine speed
AI-generated performance testing models
Test prioritization based on risk and code changes

Why AI Is Taking Over:

Applications evolve too fast for manual test creation
Teams need faster releases
Test environments are more complex
Automation requires heavy maintenance
Data-driven testing requires tools beyond human capability

AI handles the repetitive, time-consuming parts — allowing QEs to focus on strategy, risk, design, and quality leadership.

Does this mean AI will replace testers?

No — but it will replace testers who don't evolve.

The summit emphasized that:

AI augments, not replaces
QEs who upskill will become 10× more effective
The future belongs to testers who embrace AI, not fear it

In other words:

AI won't replace you. A QE who knows AI will.

Conclusion: The Future Belongs to Those Who Keep Learning

The Test Automation Summit Manila was more than an event — it was a wake-up call.

The industry is evolving faster than ever because technology is evolving faster than ever.

The path forward is clear:

QA must evolve into QE
Manual-only testers must evolve into automation and AI-assisted explorers
Teams must embrace test charters, service virtualization, and performance engineering
Learning must be continuous, not occasional
AI must be integrated into daily testing practices

Because the testers who grow, adapt, and innovate will shape the future of quality.

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At NorthQA, we're committed to continuous learning and staying at the forefront of quality assurance innovation. If you're interested in learning more about how we can help elevate your QA practices, get in touch with us.