Why Professional Expertise Still Matters in Web Design
Like many in the IT world, I’ve spent the past year exploring AI tools. Since the rise of large language models, the pace of change has been relentless. Every week seems to bring a new example of what AI can now generate, text, images, and even animations.
More That What Meets ‘AI’
One of the most impressive abilities of today’s AI is image creation. In minutes, it can generate photorealistic visuals in almost any style imaginable. Naturally, that led me to wonder: if AI can generate words and images so easily… can it actually design a website?
To find out, my coworkers and I at Ingage ran a hands-on experiment during an all-hands training day. We gave ten small groups a mock mom-and-pop business and one AI website tool. Their challenge: create a full site using only a text prompt in about 45 minutes.
Testing the Tools
After reviewing dozens of options, I narrowed the test to four tools that were fast, free, and beginner-friendly:
- Wix - Simple, bright, and surprisingly accessible
- Hostinger - A natural evolution from hosting to DIY design
- Lovable and Relume - “No devs, no code” platforms riding the AI hype wave
Each group generated a site and evaluated it using basic UX principles.
What We Learned
Every group produced something, but quality varied widely. Most results landed between “mediocre” and “passable.” A few groups struggled to generate anything at all without technical help.
Everyone was impressed by how fast the sites came together. But once teams tried to refine and improve their designs, most of the tools quickly became more frustrating than fluid. Lovable stood out as the easiest tool to use and produced the cleanest, most navigable site.
Big takeaway:
AI excels at fast creation, but struggles with nuance, iteration, and refinement.
The experience was eye-opening for many and aggravating for some. It was a clear reminder that our communication with machines is still imperfect, and that building for the web is more complex than a single generated page.
Fast Picture vs. Big Picture
This experiment reminded me of the Polaroid camera: instant photos, magical speed, and noticeably lower quality. AI works much the same way. You get results immediately, but those results often lack depth, precision, and polish.
Speed always has a cost.
Yes, AI democratizes access. It makes basic creation easier than ever. But when quality, performance, security, scalability, and user experience truly matter, professional design and development still make the difference between “good enough” and great.
A modern website isn’t just visuals and copy, it’s part of a complex, interconnected network of data, systems, and services. AI may help you get started, but it doesn’t yet replace the expertise required to build something truly professional.
So… How Long Will That Last?
The obvious question is: how long until AI can handle the bigger picture too?
We’re all riding that uncertainty together. For now, AI is best viewed as a powerful starting point, not the finish line.
Bonus Pro Tip
These tools are fantastic for rapid prototyping. If you need to visualize an idea quickly, AI can help you get moving fast. Have you used AI for prototyping yet? We’d love to hear about it.
