Boardroom to QA: How AI is Reshaping Quality Leadership in 2026

Get ready to learn more about going from the Boardroom to QA: How AI is Reshaping Quality Leadership in 2026.

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In this episode of ZAPTALKS, Joe Colantonio joins Alex Chernyak for a high-stakes conversation with two industry trailblazers: Greg Ahern, a veteran C-level exec fluent in boardroom dynamics, and Anna Royzman, a QA visionary with deep experience leading quality teams through change.

Together, they explore the critical path from boardroom strategy to QA execution, especially as we head toward a 2026 climate of tighter budgets and rising pressure on AI productivity.

Greg reveals how executive teams shape expectations for delivery, KPIs, and spend — including how they now view AI-driven productivity as a baseline, not a bonus. He shares what board members want to hear from CIOs and how QA fits into broader strategic conversations.

Anna takes that insight and grounds it in the day-to-day reality of QA leadership. She unpacks how directors must now translate lofty executive goals into team-level actions — from justifying automation investments to rethinking test coverage strategies under shrinking head counts.

Key topics include:

-How C-levels define success in the AI era — and what that means for QA
-Tactics for aligning automation goals with evolving budget expectations
-Communicating QA impact in boardroom terms (value, risk, speed)
-The emotional and cultural shift QA teams face under AI pressure
-How to futureproof your QA org through automation-first planning

This episode is essential for QA leaders, execs, and tech strategists looking to thrive in a new era where AI isn’t optional, and outcomes must be immediate.

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