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EuroSTAR Conference

Europe's Largest Quality Engineering Conference

Track Talk, T8

Impending Sense of Loom – The Past and Future of Automation

Ester Greenwood

11:30 - 12:15 CEST, Tuesday 16th June

AI is no longer science fiction. It’s science fact. Many people are talking about AI tools that are capable of testing but there is less discussion around testing AI itself. There is also a lot of talk about ethics, but what does that mean? Ethics are just a set of ‘morals’ grouped into a framework.

The problem here is that morals are different in people, communities and countries, so by definition, ethics can vary too. Understanding these different moral values such as deontology, utilitarianism and virtue ethics and how they differ between people helps us to understand the complexity of our new world.

This new understanding leads to a need to rethink our role as testers. As AI systems move from tools and processes to decision-makers, the more traditional boundaries of testing are no longer enough.

We can’t simply validate inputs and outputs now that algorithms are shaping outcomes with ethical, cultural, and psychological implications. Drawing on insights from my book Psychology of AI Decision Making (BCS Publishing), this talk shows why testers must go beyond technical skills and actively train in psychology.

That means understanding not just bias and decision-making shortcuts, but also how sociocentric issues, cultural values, and sociotechnical dynamics influence AI behaviour. Testers must also recognise the risks of anthropomorphism, where people unconsciously attribute human motives to systems that are only running code.

Testing AI is no longer just about functionality and checking inputs and outputs. It’s now about creating training data to set up systems in the first place and anticipating unintended consequences, surfacing hidden nudges and the butterfly effect. There also needs a ‘human in the loop’ process to provide trust by constant reviewing and resetting of internal patterns to align with human values.

What you will learn

  1. Why psychology is central to testing AI: cognitive bias, decision-making models, and cultural differences
  2. How sociocentric values and sociotechnical factors shape AI outcomes and testing priorities
  3. Lessons from Psychology of AI Decision Making that apply directly to the evolving role of testers

Session Details

  • Introductory
  • 45mins
  • Includes 15 mins Q&A
  • Ethical implications of AI
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Check out this video from Ester Greenwood to hear more about her talk on Impending Sense of Loom – The Past and Future of Automation.

We look forward to welcoming you to EuroSTAR 2026.

Session Speakers

Ester Greenwood

Sopra Steria, Netherlands

What’s in a name? Some might joke that ‘Ester the Tester’ was born to be a Test Engineer. She loves to solve the puzzle of how to test, what to test and when to test. Besides testing, she regularly goes into deep-dives on subjects that spark her interest.

Get her to talk about one of her interests, and you’ll get a free lecture. Ester sees a conference talk as the perfect opportunity to learn, research and ramble to her heart’s content. At 31 years of age, with 8 years of experience in IT, she is ready to take the stage.

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