Artificial intelligence has changed the way websites can be designed.
Today, AI can generate website layouts, write content, create images, suggest colour palettes and even produce HTML, CSS and JavaScript.
For someone looking to create a website, this can be incredibly useful.
It can also raise an obvious question:
If AI can create a website, do you still need a web designer?
The short answer is that AI doesn't necessarily have to replace your web designer.
In fact, AI can become another tool that web designers use to create websites more efficiently and explore ideas that may have previously taken considerably longer to develop.
The role of the web designer may simply be changing.
Rather than AI replacing the designer, we may increasingly see AI and web designers working together.
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What can AI do when creating a website?
AI has become surprisingly capable when it comes to website creation.
Depending on the tools being used, AI can help generate:
Website layouts
Page structures
Website copy
Images
Colour schemes
Font combinations
Calls to action
HTML
CSS
JavaScript
Animations
Interactive elements
SEO suggestions
This can dramatically reduce the amount of time needed to develop an initial website concept.
For example, instead of spending hours trying to decide how a homepage should be structured, you can ask AI to produce several possible layouts.
Instead of staring at an empty page wondering what to write, you can ask AI to produce an initial draft.
Instead of trying to explain a visual idea, you can sometimes ask AI to create an image or design concept.
These are valuable capabilities.
But there is an important distinction between generating something and knowing what should actually be created.
Why an AI-generated website isn't necessarily a finished website
AI can produce a website remarkably quickly.
That doesn't necessarily mean the first result is the right result.
An AI-generated website may contain:
Too much content
Too many sections
Generic wording
Inconsistent messaging
Unnecessary features
Poor calls to action
Design elements that don't suit the business
Stock-style imagery
Technical issues
Mobile layout problems
AI is generating a result based on the information and instructions it has been given.
It doesn't automatically know everything about your business, your customers or your objectives.
This is where human input becomes important.
A professional web designer can look at the result and ask a different question:
"Does this website actually work for the business?"
What does a web designer actually do?
Web design has never been simply about making a website look attractive.
A professional web designer has to consider how the different parts of a website work together.
This can include:
Structure
What information should appear on each page?
Navigation
Can visitors easily find what they are looking for?
User experience
Does the website feel intuitive and easy to use?
Visual hierarchy
Does the design direct attention towards the most important information?
Branding
Does the website accurately represent the business?
Responsive design
Does the website work properly across desktop, tablet and mobile devices?
Calls to action
Is it clear what the visitor should do next?
Accessibility
Can the website be used by as many people as possible?
SEO
Can search engines understand the website and its content?
These decisions require context.
AI can assist with many of them, but the quality of the result still depends heavily on the information it is given and the decisions made about the final website.
AI can generate ideas, but people provide direction
One of the most useful ways to think about AI is as a creative and development assistant.
Imagine asking AI to produce three different homepage concepts.
It might produce three completely different approaches.
One might be minimalist.
Another might be highly visual.
The third might focus heavily on content and calls to action.
The designer can then evaluate those ideas.
Perhaps elements from all three concepts could be combined.
This can make the design process more exploratory.
Instead of replacing creativity, AI can sometimes provide more starting points for creativity.
The designer remains responsible for deciding which ideas are appropriate.
The importance of user experience
One of the areas where professional web design remains particularly important is user experience.
A website isn't created simply for the person who owns the business.
It is created for the people visiting it.
Visitors may arrive with very different levels of knowledge about the business.
Some may know exactly what they want.
Others may be discovering the business for the first time.
The website needs to help both groups.
A good website should answer questions such as:
Where am I?
What does this business do?
Is this relevant to me?
Why should I continue?
What should I do next?
These questions influence everything from the navigation and page structure to the wording and placement of buttons.
AI can help generate suggestions.
A web designer can bring those suggestions together into a coherent user experience.
What about website content?
AI has also changed the way website content is created.
It can produce an initial draft of almost any type of website content.
For example:
About pages
Service descriptions
Product descriptions
FAQs
Blog articles
Headlines
Calls to action
SEO descriptions
This can be an enormous time saver.
But there is a difference between content that fills a page and content that communicates effectively with your audience.
AI-generated content can sometimes sound generic.
It may also make assumptions about a business that aren't accurate.
A professional can help identify what needs to be changed and ensure the content reflects the actual business.
The best approach may therefore be:
AI generates → Human reviews → Business approves → Designer implements
Where technical expertise becomes important
There is another area where the role of the web designer or developer becomes particularly relevant.
AI can generate code.
It can produce HTML, CSS and JavaScript that looks impressive and may work perfectly in the environment for which it was created.
But websites aren't always isolated pieces of code.
They operate within platforms, content management systems and existing websites.
For example, someone may use AI to create a sophisticated website design and receive a collection of HTML, CSS and JavaScript.
They may then ask:
"How do I put this into Squarespace?"
The answer isn't always as simple as copying and pasting the code.
The code may need to be adapted to work with the existing website.
Some elements may be better recreated using native Squarespace features.
Other elements may be suitable for custom code.
The final implementation may therefore involve a combination of:
AI-generated code + Squarespace features + professional development
This is an area where technical experience can make a significant difference.
Hello, World!
AI and Squarespace
Squarespace has also embraced AI.
Its AI-powered tools can help users generate websites and website content, making it easier to get a website started.
But Squarespace also provides tools for customisation, including Fluid Engine, Custom CSS, Code Blocks and Code Injection.
This means there is considerable scope to take an AI-generated concept and develop it further.
For example, an AI-generated design could be:
Recreated using Squarespace
Refined using Fluid Engine
Styled using Custom CSS
Enhanced with JavaScript
Combined with native Squarespace functionality
Adapted for mobile devices
The result doesn't have to be limited to whatever the AI produced initially.
The AI-generated concept can simply become the starting point.
Hello, World!
What happens when a client already has an AI-generated website?
This is becoming an increasingly interesting situation.
A business owner may have used an AI tool to create a website that they really like.
They may even have been given the code required to build it.
But they may not know what to do next.
Perhaps they already use Squarespace and want to stay with Squarespace.
Perhaps they don't want to manage a completely custom-coded website.
Or perhaps they simply don't have the technical knowledge required to turn the AI-generated design into a working website.
This doesn't necessarily mean the AI-generated website has to be abandoned.
It may be possible to take the design, functionality or individual elements and incorporate them into Squarespace.
At Primitus Consultancy, this is one of the areas where we can help.
We can assess the AI-generated design or code and determine how it can be incorporated into a Squarespace website.
Hello, World!
How Primitus Consultancy uses AI
At Primitus Consultancy, we see AI as another tool that can be used within the website design and development process.
It can help with ideas, research, content, design concepts and development.
But the objective isn't simply to let AI build the website and leave it at that.
We can use AI where it makes sense while applying our own Squarespace design and development experience.
This can include:
Website design
AI can be used to explore ideas and concepts that can then be refined into a finished website.
Content development
AI can provide an initial content draft which can then be reviewed, structured and refined.
Custom functionality
AI can assist with developing code, while the resulting code can be reviewed, adapted and implemented within the Squarespace environment.
AI-generated website integration
If you have already created a website using AI, we can look at the design or code and determine how it could be incorporated into Squarespace.
Squarespace customisation
We can combine native Squarespace functionality with custom CSS, HTML and JavaScript where appropriate.
Ongoing support
AI doesn't eliminate the need to maintain a website.
Websites still need updating, improving and adapting as a business develops.
Hello, World!
The future may be AI-assisted web design
The web design industry is changing.
AI will undoubtedly make some aspects of website creation faster and easier.
It may reduce the amount of time required for certain repetitive tasks.
It may make design and development more accessible.
It may also allow designers to experiment with ideas that would previously have taken considerably longer to produce.
But that doesn't necessarily mean the web designer disappears.
Instead, the role may evolve.
The designer may spend less time on repetitive production and more time on:
Strategy
User experience
Creative direction
Brand development
Technical implementation
Customisation
Problem solving
Quality control
In other words, AI can potentially take care of more of the production while the human remains responsible for the direction.
Key Takeaways
AI is a powerful website creation tool
It can generate designs, content, images and code very quickly.
AI-generated doesn't necessarily mean finished
The initial result may still require considerable refinement.
Web design involves more than appearance
Structure, usability, accessibility, branding, mobile responsiveness and user experience all matter.
AI can be a creative assistant
It can generate ideas and possibilities that a designer can then evaluate and develop.
Human judgement still matters
Someone needs to determine whether the resulting website actually meets the needs of the business and its customers.
AI-generated code may need technical adaptation
Code created for one environment may not work directly in another platform.
AI and Squarespace can work together
AI-generated designs and functionality can potentially be incorporated into Squarespace using a combination of native features and custom development.
The web designer's role is evolving
AI may change how websites are produced, but it doesn't necessarily remove the need for professional design and development expertise.
FAQs
Will AI replace web designers?
AI is changing the way websites are designed and developed, but it doesn't necessarily replace the need for professional web designers. Human input remains important for areas such as strategy, user experience, creative direction and technical implementation.
Can AI create a complete website?
Yes. AI-powered tools can generate complete website designs and, in some cases, the code required to create them. However, the resulting website may still require review, customisation and technical development.
Can I use AI to design my Squarespace website?
Yes. AI can be used to develop website concepts, content and design ideas that can then be implemented within Squarespace.
Can an AI-generated website be added to Squarespace?
Potentially. Depending on how the website was generated, elements of the design or code may be incorporated into Squarespace. Some designs may be recreated using Squarespace's native tools, while other functionality may require custom code.
What if AI has generated HTML, CSS and JavaScript for my website?
You don't necessarily have to abandon the design. The code can be reviewed to determine whether it can be adapted or incorporated into your existing website.
Can Primitus Consultancy work with AI-generated website code?
Yes. We can review AI-generated HTML, CSS and JavaScript and determine how the design or functionality can potentially be incorporated into Squarespace.
Is it better to build a website with AI or use a web designer?
AI and professional web design don't necessarily have to be alternatives. AI can assist with the creation process, while a professional can provide strategy, design direction, technical expertise and refinement.
Can AI improve an existing Squarespace website?
Yes. AI can be used to generate ideas for design, content and functionality that can then be implemented or refined within an existing Squarespace website.
Conclusion
AI has changed the conversation around website design.
It is now possible to generate website designs, content, images and code in a matter of minutes.
That is a significant development.
But creating something quickly doesn't necessarily mean creating the right thing.
A successful website still needs to communicate with its audience, represent the business, provide a good user experience and achieve its intended purpose.
This is why AI doesn't necessarily have to replace your web designer.
Instead, AI can become another tool in the web designer's toolkit.
It can provide ideas.
It can speed up certain tasks.
It can help solve problems.
It can generate code.
It can even provide the starting point for an entire website.
The designer can then bring experience, judgement, creativity and technical knowledge to the process.
At Primitus Consultancy, we believe the most interesting opportunity isn't AI versus web design.
It is AI + web design.
If you've used AI to create a website, generated a design you love, or received website code that you're not sure what to do with, you don't necessarily have to start again.
We can help you explore how that AI-generated website or functionality can be developed and incorporated into Squarespace.
AI can provide the starting point. Your web designer can help turn it into the finished website.
If you have an AI-generated website you'd like to bring into Squarespace, get in touch with Primitus Consultancy to discuss your requirements.
If you have any questions or need any help with your Squarespace website design, you can book a 1:1 consultation.
All work in this guide is provided ‘as-is’. Other than as provided this guide makes no other warranties, expressed or implied, and hereby disclaims all implied warranties, including any warranty of fitness for a particular purpose.
If you require professional advice, you can book our consultation services.
