Not too long ago we discussed the advantages of building sites with PHP. A practice that some people now assume is akin to using a piece of chalk and a board to write your shopping list (oh how wrong they are!) And on a somewhat related note, we’ve seen a glut of social media posts and articles of late claiming that the end is near for website and app developers and designers. The story goes that these prehistoric creatures using that chalk and board code known as PHP are relics of the past and that the future is artificial intelligence.
But is this a real threat? Can AI really take over our jobs and leave app and web developers as penniless paupers? Let’s take a look at how plausible this actually is.
Can AI design a website?
The simple answer to that is yes, of course AI can build a website. In fact, Wix ADI has been doing it for quite some time now. However, it all depends on how much functionality, customisability, and uniqueness you want in your website. While robots can and will always build cheap and functional websites, they can’t quite cut it when it comes to creativity.
With sites such as Wix, Bookmark, and Jimdo Dolphin, there tends to be a cookie cutter feel to the overall design of the site. Yes, they are unique in that the colors and copy are different, but the layout, placement of objects and so forth make them all look like sister sites with different color palettes. With this in mind, there will always be a market for design professionals that can create truly unique websites that allow a business to stand out from the crowd.
What about apps?
Interestingly, the mobile app market is one that is increasingly driven by AI. As the average consumer looks for more shortcuts and life hacks to make their lives more convenient, mobile app developers are turning to AI to help personalise user app experience. In the now flooded market, it’s the app that can offer personal recommendations based on a user’s habits that is the most successful. And while consumers often bemoan the fact that their phone sometimes seems to know exactly what they’re thinking, it’s this AI-powered convenience that they seek out.
The most interesting aspect about app development, however, is that despite the need for AI-driven apps, the actual design and creation of these applications is still the work of the trusted app developer. Yes, we mean the human kind. Although we want AI in our mobile apps, we want and prefer a human to be the one that puts it there.
So where does AI fit in?
With research by Deloitte suggesting that 35% of UK jobs are at high risk of replacement, it’s clear that industry leaders feel that AI has a significant role to play in our future. But clearly that role is not one of singlehanded app or website design. Sure, AI can help churn out simple apps and websites at a phenomenal rate but for the high-end jobs, a human touch is still required and likely always will be. So does it have a place at all? Yes, it does, and that role is as the assistant in chief.
Let’s take the recruitment industry as an example. Companies looking to hire employees and find suitable candidates for a role are turning to AI software and tools to help them in their search. Yet they are not relying on that software to interview their candidates or make a final decision because that would be madness, right? The same can be said for the use of AI in any industry including website and app development.
AI can play Robin to your Batman, Lois Lane to your Superman, or Steve Trevor to your Wonder Woman. In the world of design and development it can be your faithful sidekick that ensures that you leave no stone unturned. So instead of worrying about AI taking your job, embrace the future and make artificial intelligence work for you. AI is the future, but it’s a future on your terms.
LL x
*This is a contributed post. As ever, all opinions are my own.
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