AI Déjà Vu: Lessons from Automation ($)

KWSQA is offering this KWality Talk as in-person only, details under Location below! Speaker: Kayla Gillman Topic: Across the globe, organizations are rapidly investing in AI to improve quality, speed delivery, and reduce cost – yet many are encountering a familiar problem: high expectations, slow progress, and limited business value. A decade ago, QA leaders faced this same challenge during the rise of test automation. In this session, Kayla Gillman, Global Head of Pre-Sales at TTC Global, draws on her experience leading enterprise automation and quality engineering initiatives across multiple regions to explore what AI adoption can learn from automation’s first decade. Using real-world examples and industry research, Kayla examines why both automation and AI initiatives stall – not because of tooling, but due to gaps in readiness, governance, skills, and alignment with business goals. Delegates will gain a practical framework for assessing maturity and learn how to embed AI responsibly into modern quality practices without sacrificing trust or human judgment. Attendees will leave with clear, actionable guidance for scaling automation and AI sustainably across complex, global delivery environments. Meet our Speaker: Kayla Gillman is Global Head of Pre-Sales and Senior Manager, Canada at TTC Global, where she leads enterprise quality engineering strategy across international transformation programs. Based in Canada and working closely with clients across Europe and North America, Kayla specializes in test automation, AI-assisted testing, and large-scale delivery enablement. She brings close to two decades of experience helping organizations evolve from manual testing foundations to continuous and intelligent automation at scale. Known for her pragmatic leadership style, Kayla focuses on aligning people, process, and technology to deliver measurable business value. She is a frequent speaker on automation maturity, AI readiness, and the evolving role of quality engineering in global digital transformation. KWality Talk Details -------------------- Time Doors will open at 11:45 pm. Announcements and discussion start at 12:00 pm. Meeting ends at approximately 1:00 pm. Lunch As with all in-person KWality Talks lunch will be provided. Please ensure you note any dietary restrictions in the ticket registration process. Registration Please follow the instructions on the KWality Talk Page[1] to register for this event. Location This months in-person event will be held at the Waterloo Accelerator Centre at 295 Hagey Boulevard, Waterloo, ON, N2L 6R5. Code of Conduct People attending our meetings are expected to adhere to the KWSQA code of conduct