How has AI affected the web design industry in the UK?

By Luke Angelo

May 30, 2025

Introduction

In 2025, the news is ablaze with hype about the latest AI tools. Many fear that AI will take our jobs, and we will be living in a dystopian reality. In this article, I explore how AI has affected the web design industry – drawing upon my personal experiences.

I’m Luke, the director of Angelo Web Design, and I’ve built websites for hundreds of small businesses in the last few years. AI has changed the way we create websites, but is it a good thing?

1) AI generated content is everywhere

The majority of small business websites I see now use AI copywriting. Small businesses and startups tend to have a limited budget for their website, and with the advent of ChatGPT a lot of businesses see copywriting as an unnecessary expense. Data from Originality found that 16.6% of websites in Google Search results now use AI content, as of May 2025 [1].

As a web designer, AI copywriting has been a positive for me. It means less waiting round for content from clients, which used to delay projects in the past. Not all AI content is created equal though, and detailed prompts must be used – or the copy generated will be of poor quality. I see common errors like American spellings on UK websites, which indicates that people aren’t proof-reading text before pasting it onto their website.

I still recommend that clients invest in professional copywriting services for their website, if their budget allows for it. I work with several copywriters who deliver great content that stands out from generic AI text. On websites I find that “less is more” when it comes to text. AI-written websites tend to have long walls of text and filler, whereas human copywriters can write concisely and have more impact with fewer words. People have a short attention span, and will lose interest in a website if it looks like a novel.

2) Content entry tasks have become easier

When I’m building a website, content entry is often a time-consuming task. Ecommerce stores can have thousands of products, and this data must be imported onto the website when it’s built. ChatGPT can format a CSV file in seconds, and get all of my product data into a format that’s compatible with WooCommerce or Shopify. This saves valuable time, because I don’t have to spend hours messing about with spreadsheets.

In addition, AI can format plain text so it’s ready for use on a webpage. It can automatically add heading tags and paragraph tags, along with hyperlinks. This means you can write an article in a document, then use AI to transform it into HTML that follows best practises for SEO. As a web designer, I’ve been able to reduce the time I spend on monotonous tasks, so this is another huge positive.

3) The overall quality of websites has declined

Forbes reported there are an estimated 1.2 billion websites as of March 2025! [2] As the internet becomes saturated with more websites, I believe the overall quality of websites has declined. Startup businesses are now turning to instant AI website builders, which produce cookie-cutter websites. These websites are of poor quality, and rely on generic stock images and uniform-like layouts.

I’ve had several new clients come to me after an AI website disaster. I take the time to get to know their business, so I can build a website that shows off its unique personality. I also ensure the website is optimised for their specific goals, such as generating more leads or appointment bookings. AI models rely on assumptions and statistical probabilities, but every business is different. In an ocean of poor-quality websites, a human created one will always rise to the top.

We’ve always had pre-built website templates and themes, and AI website builders are another extension of this. If you’re serious about growing your business online, you should always invest in professional website development services.

The overall quality of websites has declined

4) Organic website traffic has decreased

Upon launch, I install Google Analytics & Search Console on all of my client websites. Since Google’s updates and the new “AI Overview” section, I’ve noticed a decrease in organic traffic across many websites. Entrepreneur stated that Google’s AI Overviews are already slashing organic traffic by as much as 64% [3] – which is an alarming statistic.

SEO has changed dramatically, and I’ve adapted to Google’s updates. Content must demonstrate Experience, Expertise, Authority and Trust to outrank competitors. I always advise my clients that SEO is an ongoing investment and not a one-off gig. I provide monthly SEO packages, where I regularly produce high-quality content that targets a wide range of keywords.

If you want a high volume of website traffic, it’s now vital that you invest in paid advertising alongside SEO. Facebook Ads and Google Search Ads are affordable ways of increasing traffic, this reduces your reliance on organic search results and unpredictable algorithms.

5) Demand for web design has increased

NatWest reported that the number of businesses operating in the UK has reached a record high [4] – over 5.6 million businesses are now active in the UK. When someone is starting up a new business, a professional website is often one of the first things on their list.

At Angelo Web Design, we’ve had a record-breaking year so far and have seen a sharp increase in demand for our web design services. The web design industry is still thriving in 2025, despite scaremongering in the media about AI and LLMs.

In March 2025, internet sales accounted for 26.3% of all British retail sales [5]. For businesses who sell physical products, it’s vital they have an online-store in combination with the traditional brick and mortar model. Building a high-performing Ecommerce website requires the help of a professional web developer. AI tools are incapable of building complex stores, and understanding the unique selling points that make a business stand out in a crowded marketplace.

Conclusion

In my personal experience, AI has had a positive impact on the web design industry. It’s made it easier for human-built websites to stand out, and outperform cheap generic websites. Content creation and content entry have become easier, and AI has helped me focus on more complex development tasks.

As AI becomes more advanced, I believe it’s important that web designers and developers keep improving their skillset. This will help you produce visually stunning websites that drive real results for businesses. The website market has become more saturated, but the cream always rises to the top. Don’t get drawn in by the media doom and gloom about AI, take time to research Large Language Models and how they actually work. They are flawed systems that often spread mis-information.

Thank you for reading! If you’re looking for a professional website, feel free to contact us for a chat.