Chapter 1: The Rise of AI Tools

In today's digital landscape, it seems there's an AI solution for nearly every task. Every tech startup and online business seems to be incorporating "AI" into their branding and product descriptions. While the capabilities of artificial intelligence are impressive, significant limitations still exist.

Recently, I came across a Twitter post advertising an AI-driven website builder. Having seen numerous discussions about this tool, I decided it was time to give it a try—especially since it was free.

The post boldly claimed, “Creating a website used to take forever. With AI, you can have one ready in seconds. Here’s how to create a website for free using AI.” Such a significant promise caught my attention.

I tend to be skeptical of AI marketing that boasts about accomplishing tasks in mere seconds. My experience with various AI tools suggests that producing quality results typically requires a few minutes at the very least. Fortunately, this website builder claims, “Generate your website in minutes with AI” instead of seconds. While it may seem trivial, there's a vast difference between investing 20 minutes versus 30 seconds on a task.

Initially, my goal was to build a website for my newsletter. However, when prompted to select a purpose, "newsletter" wasn't an option. Disappointed, I selected the Writer category, but the ensuing questions felt misaligned with my intent. I restarted the process and opted to create an eCommerce store instead.

After entering some basic details such as the business name and description, I spent about five minutes on this step. I clicked the "Create" button, and just 45 seconds later, a website appeared.

Chapter 2: The Results of the AI Website Builder

The website looked decent, yet it bore a striking resemblance to the one featured in the Twitter post.

The colors, fonts, and layout were identical. The only variances were the images and written content. This lack of uniqueness was somewhat disappointing given the expectations.

What I received did not come close to resembling an eCommerce store. There were no products, reviews, ratings, or any shipping information present. I was puzzled as to why I even selected that business type.

The written content was adequate overall. I appreciated the headline generated for the website:

It featured the product name, a benefit, and a clear description. However, the website contained multiple errors. For instance, one section instructed users to place a coffee teabag into a coffee machine, which is inaccurate. Based on the two-sentence product description I provided, the AI did manage to produce decent content, but most of the website would require extensive rewriting or editing. If this were an actual business, I would need to dedicate at least ten hours to refining the text.

Some product images were usable, but many would need replacement. Since we were dealing with a product, having real photos was essential. Ideally, the builder would have prompted me for these images or generated AI variations.

However, many generated photos were irrelevant and did not feature our product.

While this critique may sound harsh, it reflects the reality. The company has made exaggerated claims and has not delivered on them. It's commendable that they have developed a user-friendly interface that can produce decent text and images, but the technology still has a long way to go.

They have also failed to ask the right questions during the website creation process. I anticipated a more interactive experience where I could specify color schemes, upload images, and provide a logo. I mistakenly thought that selecting an eCommerce option would automatically yield a functional online store, which was not the case.

The prompts should have requested significantly more information about my needs. A two-sentence description of my business was insufficient.

Given that I would need to replace most of the text and images, it would be simpler to use a WordPress theme with a free template. Building a website is already a straightforward task; therefore, I see little advantage in using AI in this way at the moment.

Nonetheless, this concept holds promise. If the company continues to enhance its product and AI technology advances, it could become a valuable tool in the near future. However, they face stiff competition, as Elementor and other website builders are also incorporating AI tools for writing copy, coding, and image integration.

I predict that few AI-only enterprises will endure, but those that integrate AI capabilities into their existing offerings are likely to thrive. Ultimately, I won’t be using this tool again and recommend others consider alternatives.

For further insights into innovative AI developments, check out this curated list:

Chapter 3: Video Insights

Explore the top five AI website builders that require no coding skills to create stunning websites.

Watch as I build a website using AI and reveal the surprising results!