Elodie Collins 
Benjamin Baldi, senior vice president of global public sector at Tricentis, is urging defense agencies to shift from manual to automated testing powered by artificial intelligence to balance speed in adopting new capabilities with software quality and security while ensuring compliance with the Department of War’s Acquisition Transformation Strategy.
The increasing role of AI and automation in securing government systems is a key topic at the Potomac Officers Club’s 2026 Cyber Summit on May 21. The Potomac Officers Club has dedicated two panels on AI and automation in cybersecurity featuring government leaders and industry experts. Top officials from the DOW Cyber Crime Center, Defense Information Systems Agency, the Army and the Air Force will also be present to share insights about the cyber landscape. Get your tickets today.
Why Is Manual Software Testing No Longer Feasible?
In an article published on Federal News Network, Baldi explained that, to manage modernization and the integration of new technologies, many agencies rely on regression testing, which requires IT teams to rerun functional tests to check that code updates have not introduced vulnerabilities. However, he said regression testing demands time and resources that many organizations do not have, especially following recent workforce cuts and reduced reliance on government contractors.
“These actions have resulted in limited resources and less time for testing, possibly exposing agencies to operational risk,” he warned.
How Will AI-Powered Automated Testing Secure Government Systems?
Automated testing, when combined with AI, enables agencies to accelerate software development and deployment, minimize risk and vulnerabilities, and comply with the DOW’s mandate to prioritize speed and rigor.
Automated testing looks for issues throughout the software lifecycle with little manual intervention. Continuous automated testing and visibility enable the identification of anomalies early in the development lifecycle, allowing IT teams to immediately address problems.
AI also provides pattern recognition capabilities that can aid in detecting faults across more complex, interconnected environments.
“Rather than replacing human decision-making, AI extends visibility and allows limited teams to tackle problems as they arise while keeping pace with development,” Baldi shared.
What Has Baldi Said Previously About Automated Software Testing?
Baldi has previously spoken about the benefits of automated testing in agency modernization initiatives. In an article posted on Healthcare IT Today in August 2025, the executive warned that electronic health record modernization at university-affiliated medical systems is causing physician burnout and negative patient outcomes. Automated testing, he shared, enables organizations to discover issues early and improve system performance.
AI can also scan code for vulnerabilities and other issues, and automatically alert IT teams to changes in core systems, Baldi explained in an article on the defense electronics news site Battlespace in February.
