When we talk about Artificial Intelligence, we surprisingly overlook its most singular aspect – Intelligence. We talk about the positive impact AI can have on operating costs, its accuracy and the fact that it would make life easier by automating a lot of processes. However, the biggest benefit that AI brings to the table is the fact that it can think, it can learn and it can course correct. All the accrued benefits mentioned above are essentially a byproduct of this quality.
Effect on UI & UX
When we talk about Web and Design development, the primary goal is to deliver a great and uncomplicated UI (User Interface) for a great UX (User Experience). So far, designers and developers have been trying to second guess customer preferences, with the help of user data and by looking at the success or failure of their potential competitors. However, this has been a rather imperfect game. While some did manage to hit the jackpot, many failed to make a mark.
With the introduction of AI, data can be analyzed much faster and real time feedback can be assimilated into the design and development of websites. For users, this will be incredibly useful, since more and more websites and apps will be able to implement friendlier user interfaces, making users’ lives easier. AI can track data and phase out designs and interfaces that have proved unpopular and correct design flaws before they have a serious impact on a website’s or app’s performance.
What’s more, and in what is already proving to be a massive positive both in terms of money and customer satisfaction, AI driven chat bots are able to provide basic customer care on websites and apps. This is helping with customer retention since theses bots are able to handle simpler, basic queries and issues that customers face, and do so instantaneously. There are no waiting queues to frustrate the customer. The hope is that with due improvement in their capabilities, these chat bots can handle more serious customer queries and issues. Scale is never going to be a problem anyways.
Site maintenance & Security
User Security is not a onetime thing. User perceptions about websites and apps can change over time due to poor or untimely maintenance and oversight. AI, can help with site maintenance by identifying and even fixing errors. Since it is also learning all the time, it can even devise ways to prevent an error from happening again, thus preserving the UX.
In E-Commerce sites, or sites where payment gateways are involved, security is of paramount importance. Big organizations are also continuously fighting against phishing, hacking and a host of other cyber issues. Often, this entails employing experts and ethical hackers at a very high price to preempt weaknesses and plug them. With AI involvement, this can happen much more effectively and at no added cost. AI can be programmed to prevent, identify and eliminate threats. Many government agencies around the globe are already using AI in their fight against cyber threats.
Effect on collecting and analyzing user data
For many websites, especially search engines and multiband e-Commerce sites, AI based algorithms have allowed them to
- Understand and serve individual users better
- Use their understanding of individual users to open up highly targeted possibilities in marketing different associated products and services.
It has been a colossal win-win, with both customers and businesses getting exactly what they want. Moreover, as mentioned before, real time feedback is gleaned for user behavior which sites and apps can use to improve their user interface.
Effect on Website Building & Code Monkeys
AI has enabled us to the extent that now we do not have to start from scratch while building websites. A lot of the basic stuff is already sorted by AI and developers can simply build on and upwards from that. This, essentially should mean the end of less skilled developers, who are often alluded to as code monkeys. As a result, companies will experience significant savings. Similarly, the development game is set to go into a higher gear with the removal of the “also ran’s”.
Effect on Design and Development Companies
AI is going to be an absolute game changer when it comes to Design and Development Companies, especially the ones abroad who target Western clients through their cost effectiveness as the major value proposition. AI is going to level the playing field somewhat regarding costs for firms in the West who are vying for the same customers as the offshore firms. Firms whose billing was primarily based on a model which multiplied a number of resources with the number of hours are going to take a hit and we might see newer business models come in.
There will also be another significant impact when it comes to Design and Development companies. Because AI gets a lot of the basic coding done in a jiffy, time taken for a wide range of basic tasks will be reduced. Accordingly, clients will also start expecting faster work and shorter timelines and companies will start targeting the very best in the business, who can take on the more complicated tasks and get them done in increasingly tighter timeframes. Hence, the lot of the most talented and experienced developers can expect their stock to rise further, while the less skilled ones slink away into oblivion.
Rise of Free Website Designing Websites
As has inevitably happened across many industries and domains, what starts out as premium services with limited access, becomes easily accessible and free. Recent trends in the evolution of data streaming sites like Prime Video and Netflix are a good example. A lot of websites offering free content have also cropped up alongside, challenging the paid sites’ hitherto unperturbed existence. This is bound to happen in the case of Website Designing sites as well. Right now we have mostly paid sites offering full services and the free ones are not really anything to write home about. However, with the advent of AI design and development of apps and websites, expect such websites to crop up by the dozen.
