Manish Dudharejia 
From complex technical advancements such as self-driving cars to simple devices such as intelligent Bluetooth speakers, Artificial Intelligence (or AI) seems to be making its way into our everyday lives. In fact, consumers are using more AI than they realize. While only 33% think they use AI-enabled technology, in reality, 77% use an AI-powered service or device without knowing about it.
AI is also one of the fastest growing technologies in the world. According to Statista, global revenues from AI for enterprise applications are projected to grow from $1.62B in 2018 to $31.2B in 2025 attaining a 52.59% CAGR in the forecast period.
Web designing is no exception to this burgeoning trend. Artificial Intelligence is not only going to simplify the way you use a website, but also the way web designers build it. Let’s see the role AI will be playing in the web designing process.
The Present Role of AI in UX Design
In the past few years, AI has played a vital role in improving user experience, especially for e-commerce websites. AI, along with advanced data analytics, has been used to collect user behavior data, which in turn, helps personalize your e-commerce store and serve your customers better. For example, the advertisements you see popping up on your browsers are a result of AI combined with a thorough analysis of your browsing history. It has, however, extended into other aspects of web designing.
Chatbots
Chatbots have been around for some time now. However, with improved AI, Natural Language Processing (NLP), big data, and deep learning, chatbots have become a lot sharper and smarter. Modern chatbots are known for offering an exceptionally genuine conversational experience.
One in every five customers is willing to purchase goods and services from a chatbot. They are also willing to spend more than $400 through a chatbot. As a result, several online stores are using chatbots to help their consumers identify the products they want and need.
eBay is using a virtual personal shopping assistant known as eBay ShopBot that lets you shop through Facebook Messenger. You can start your conversation by typing questions or details such as “I am looking for running shoes for men,” and the chatbot will guide you through the shopping experience as if it were a personal assistant.
AI-based UX Designing Platforms
Many popular international e-commerce website building platforms have been trying to provide their users with the ability to quickly design their website without any or minimal knowledge of coding. Gutenberg WordPress Editor is the latest example of a do-it-yourself website builder. It is being launched by WordPress, the world’s leading website building platform.
However, AI-based web builders have been around for a couple of years. The Grid, launched in 2016, was one of the first AI website builders on the scene. It comprises an AI named Molly, who helps you to build your website with just a few clicks.
All you have to do is type the content you want on your site. Molly will pick the best color scheme, content layout, font size and color, and other elements of your website, providing you with a finished product. It eliminates most of the required physical work for web design and provides you with a glimpse of what UX designing may look like in the future.
What Does This Mean for Web Designers?
Though one may view The Grid (or its equivalents) as an AI breakthrough, they are a far cry from the grand vision of an AI-based web designing platform. The Grid itself has received a mixed response from designers all over the globe. So, if you are wondering whether or not AI-based website builders will put their human counterparts out of business, the chances are low.
However, in due course of time, AI will play a crucial role in the UX designing process. Web designers will need to work with several different AI-based technologies to create a better and more personalized UX. The high level of data analysis will allow them to design UX tailored to the needs of a single individual.
In other words, with AI, designers can create an advance personalized messaging system that will ensure higher sales conversions. But, it will also mean that designers will need to get a deep understanding of how AI works. That said, AI will indeed become the greatest ally of web designers.
Disruptions Lie Ahead
Though AI will not replace web designers completely, it will lead to a few significant disruptions. Using AI, online stores will have sophisticated UX designs, improved user experience, and better Search Engine Optimization (SEO).
However, all this is likely to come at a cost. As AI will be primarily used to monitor consumer behavior and their interactions online, it will lead to increasing security and privacy concerns. It is going to be challenging for digital marketers to create and maintain a bond of trust with their consumers in a predominantly AI-driven UX.
Despite your best efforts, your target audience will still be able to differentiate their interactions with an AI-based UX element from the one with a real human assistant. So, how are you going to deal with the prospects that insist on human interactions? As a digital marketer, you will need to find answers to these kind of questions soon.
Conclusion
AI is a crucial development that is already adding value to the UX design in the form of chatbots and AI-based web designing platforms. Like any new technology, however, it will work like a double-edged sword. So, when it hits the market on a grand scale, you don’t want to be on the wrong side. Hopefully, the points raised in this article will help you understand the role of AI in the world of web designing, today and tomorrow. If you still have doubts, let us know in your comments.
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