Keysight Technologies (NYSE: KEYS) announced a new feature for its Eggplant test automation software that allows engineers to locate user interface elements using plain-language descriptions rather than screenshots.

The feature, called Eggplant Find by Description, is part of Eggplant Studio and Eggplant Functional. It uses a computer vision AI model to identify interface elements based on text descriptions, removing the need to recapture screenshots when an application's design changes.

According to the press release, a Keysight demonstration showed the feature reduced script volume by 92% and cut the time required for a given task from over an hour to under 15 minutes. The company states the tool works across legacy desktop, embedded, and web applications without requiring access to the document object model or changes to the system being tested.

Keysight cited data indicating that half of organizations consider script upkeep a chief barrier to test automation, as image-based scripts break when interfaces change even when the underlying software functions correctly.

Gareth Smith, Software Quality Engineering General Manager at Keysight, said: "Our goal is to help teams automate more of their testing. However, for too long, the maintenance burden has held that back. Keysight Eggplant Find by Description clears one of the biggest barriers, moving us toward a future where teams automate what they want, not only what their tools allow."