With so much hyperbole and fantastical speculation out there it's important to keep it real in order to cut through the hype and fear, focusing on the genuine, tangible opportunities and benefits that AI presents in this field, treading a careful path without getting carried away with its promise.

Below we outline ways that Generative AI  tools can be effectively and safely integrated into web design and development, while addressing the associated risks.

Understanding the Risks.

Data Security

When using Generative AI for analysing your organisation's information to assist you in creating new intellectual property there's a risk that your proprietary data could be used in the training of the AI's algorithms, potentially exposing valuable information to competitors or confidential information to the public at large.

Solution: Ensure that any AI tools you use are configured to silo your data - i.e. to keep it confidential and not to use it to train its algorithms. Industry leaders like Microsoft emphasise the importance of siloing to protect your intellectual property. 

While the Business / Enterprise accounts of the larger operators such as Open AI / Chat GPT, Microsoft Copilot and Google Gemini commit to not using inputs and outputs to train its models by default, you or members of your team may not be operating on business or enterprise accounts and with Chat GPT for example will need to go and actively disable this in their Chat GPT settings.

Learn how your data is used to improve model performance.

Always verify that the AI solution you're using will not inadvertently share your data. Ask this question of the vendors of the tools your organisation is using.

Reliability of your Content and Communications

As has been well documented online, AI tools can sometimes produce inaccurate or misleading results, which could damage your organisation's reputation if not properly vetted. You need to ensure the content you display on your website or social media channels is of a reliable quality. The same is true for certain AI powered products you may use on your website or web application, such as help agents or chat bots.

Solution: Maintain human oversight at all times. Always fact-check and verify the information generated by AI before it's used in any official capacity. Implement a company wide policy in this respect. Conduct due diligence on all tools to be employed and actively seek out cautionary tales so you know where potential pitfalls may lie.

Cost Management

AI processes can be resource-intensive (processor time in particular), leading to increased costs and potentially some nasty surprises, especially when tied to pay by use cloud hosting or computing services.

Solution: Monitor your cloud usage closely to avoid unexpected cost spikes. Plan your AI deployments carefully to ensure they provide a return on investment without ballooning costs. Measure for cost-benefit and run tests on usage. As with traditional software development, effective, efficient software architecture and programming means lower processing requirements. If your web application or website will use AI functionality in the cloud, be sure this is taken into account.

AI in Web Design and Development: Opportunities.

Productivity Enhancements

Tools like Microsoft Copilot for 365, ChatGPT and Google Gemini can boost productivity by automating mundane tasks in your working day, freeing up time to concentrate on tasks requiring more mental effort, consideration and planning.

Reality Check: While these tools are useful, they’re not a magic bullet. They can save some time on basic tasks, but they wont do the job for you, to say nothing of quality control. With Copilot for Microsoft 365 for example Microsoft claims it can save advanced users ten hours a month (note the word ‘advanced’ here), which may give you back a few precious hours, but isn’t going to put you on a beach sipping cocktails. This can safely be applied to their competitors in the same space. Keep it real!

Content Development

AI can assist in generating content, but it comes with caveats. The content needs to be checked for accuracy and relevance, as AI can sometimes produce nonsensical or subpar material.

Caution: As AI-generated content becomes more common, people are becoming adept at recognising it, especially in images and videos. Over time, the “wow factor” may diminish, making AI-generated content seem less impressive. AI is a tool most effectively utilised by those qualified to guide, shape and judge its output - writers, designers, artists, programmers and professionals. Tread carefully.

Web Development Automation

AI tools like GitHub Copilot are invaluable in web development, speeding up repetitive tasks such as opening files, starting functions, or writing unit tests.

Benefit: By automating these basic tasks, developers can focus on more creative and complex aspects of web development, as well as application design, systems analysis and software architecture, delivering better solutions in less time and improving overall project efficiency. When utilised properly It helps teams like Communicraft to deliver more bang for your buck.

Caution: Again one has to remember that as with other productivity enhancements, significant human input is still required to produce something useful, fit for purpose and to get the job done well.

Conclusion: Leveraging AI Wisely

While AI offers exciting possibilities in web design and development, it's essential to approach it with a balanced perspective. Understand the risks, manage them effectively, and focus on the areas where AI can genuinely add value. With careful planning and human oversight, AI can be a powerful tool that can help us to enhance productivity, quality, and innovation in your web projects.

If you're considering integrating AI into your web design and development processes, it's crucial to keep these factors in mind. Remember, AI is a tool to augment your work, not replace the expertise and creativity that only human professionals can provide.

Feel free to reach out if you need further guidance on how we can safely and effectively incorporate AI in producing, managing and supporting your web projects. We can help you identify the real opportunities that will benefit your organization and its projects the most.