AI and Test Engineering Meet: Why Now?

AI is transforming industries across the board. In engineering, in particular, the need for AI tools to accelerate development, assist in solving complex problems, and automate repetitive tasks is growing. However, the test and measurement field faces high barriers to entry and requires specialized tool proficiency, making AI adoption a cautious endeavor.

In this situation, NI (National Instruments) announced that it will open the era of AI for test engineers by adding the artificial intelligence assistant Nigel AI Advisor (hereinafter referred to as Nigel) to its flagship software, LabVIEW and TestStand.

In this interview, NI Korea Manager Park Chan-woong clearly stated the core message of the Nigel Project. He emphasized that he wanted to position Nigel as a “trustworthy partner,” saying, “It was not created to be swept up in trends, but rather to solve the inconveniences and problems that engineers actually experience.”
Nigel 's Birthplace - "Solving Problems, Not Trends"

Nigel isn't just a feature for showcasing flashy AI demos. Test and measurement is a complex field that combines programming and hardware operation. It's challenging for beginners, and even experienced users often find it time-consuming to set up a new environment or learn unfamiliar features.

Manager Park explained this at the beginning of the interview.

"It wasn't created to follow trends. Its purpose was to lower the barrier to entry into the test and measurement field and make it accessible even to beginners."

Until now, engineers new to LabVIEW or TestStand had to search the web for resources when encountering problems. However, Nigel, a built-in AI tool, provides answers, examples, and even links to manuals when you type in a question. This significantly increases productivity, as it eliminates the need to switch windows.
What's Different from General AI - "Engineering-Specialized LLM"

A point that many readers might be wondering is how Nigel differs from general-purpose AI like ChatGPT. Manager Park responded to this as follows:

"Nigel doesn't simply use OpenAI's models. It trains them on NI's decades of test and measurement data, delivering optimized answers for LabVIEW and TestStand."

For example, let's say you ask, "What is a case structure?" A general-purpose AI would explain case structures across programming languages. However, Nigel explains what case structures are in LabVIEW, how to use them, and even provides links to example code and manuals. Based on this engineering-specific data, Nigel's answer is much more practical and reliable.
Current Features – A Reliable Companion to Reduce Development Time

Nigel's current functions are primarily focused on small-scale task assistance and question-answering, but even this alone has a significant impact on the field.

A key feature is the "Discuss with Nigel" code review feature. When receiving LabVIEW code written by someone else, it can take a long time to understand its structure and operational principles. Nigel analyzes the code, explains the flow, and even suggests improvements if necessary. This dramatically reduces the time required for code reviews.

Feedback from actual engineers is also positive.

• “Being able to immediately check any questions I have has shortened development time.”
• “It saves time searching, making project progress much easier.”

Of course, there are limitations. As with all AI, it occasionally provides incorrect information. However, Park said, "It is more reliable than other general-purpose AI, and it is continuously improving based on user feedback."
Applications – from development to production

Nigel's applicability extends beyond the development phase. It can also be extended to production line test automation. NI has already supported data-driven automated testing in various industrial settings, and Nigel can be a tool to make this more intuitive and efficient.

Security is a particularly sensitive issue. Nigel is designed to ensure the peace of mind of corporate customers by adopting TLS encrypted transmission and local storage. Manager Park explained, "We follow the security system guaranteed by Microsoft, and personal prompt data is stored only locally."
Roadmap – “Expanding Goals to Code Generation”

Currently, Nigel is positioned as a particularly useful tool for beginners and intermediate users. However, NI's roadmap goes even further.

Going forward, NI plans to expand beyond simple Q&A to include code generation, test optimization suggestions, and large-scale project assistance. To achieve this, NI is exploring collaborations with various generative AI models, in addition to OpenAI. In countries where political issues prevent the use of certain AI models, other models may be applied.

That is, Nigel does not rely on a single model, but pursues a multi-model strategy that provides “the AI that best suits engineers.”
A Message to Engineers: "A Trusted Partner"

At the end of the interview, I asked Manager Park to define Nigel in one word. His answer was simple.

"I'd like to say it's a trustworthy partner. I personally feel a sense of security when using it. It's like a colleague who's there to ask and answer questions when I don't know everything."

As he puts it, Nigel isn't just a simple AI tool. It's like "a colleague, right next to an expert, answering questions." Beginners can expect rapid learning and development, intermediate users can expect efficient problem-solving, and businesses can expect automation with security and reliability.
Conclusion

AI is rapidly transforming the engineering landscape. However, not all AI solutions meet the needs of the field. AI truly becomes valuable when it provides specialized answers and context that general-purpose AI cannot. NI's Nigel demonstrates this potential.

The key takeaway from this interview is clear: Nigel isn't just a chatbot; he's a partner who can grow alongside engineers in the specialized field of test and measurement. If the roadmap for the future comes to fruition, test engineers' daily lives will become much smarter than they are now.