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I still remember the moment I realized how fast things were moving. I was at home, using DALL·E for the first time, watching my words turn into images in seconds. It was impressive, to say the least.

But back then, in 2023, AI design was still pretty hands-on. You’d type in a prompt, wait for the result, then spend time refining it yourself.

Fast forward to today, and AI tools have become much more powerful. They don’t just generate images anymore. They understand context, style and intent, and often produce results that feel frighteningly close to human creation.

With all these advancements happening so fast, there’s one question I’ve been asked a lot: If AI is so powerful, should I just let it design my whole website for me, while I take a backseat?

My answer is no, you shouldn’t. Because while AI can take care of much of the heavy lifting, it’s when you bring the final 25-30% of creativity that the magic happens.

Let me explain.

It’s about control—and the joy of creating

Just a year ago, using drag-and-drop in modern website design was seen as “uncool.” Instead, new AI tools seemed to be cropping up every second, promising to perform web design miracles within a few clicks. It felt like everyone wanted to prompt their way to perfection.

But interestingly, the web trend is starting to reverse.

Now, even the most AI-centric web design tools are adding manual editing capabilities again because people miss touching their work. They miss clicking, dragging, shaping things themselves and feeling that sense of reward and ownership that comes with creating a website.

Because creativity isn’t just about the end result—it’s about the feeling of control, the joy of the process and, of course, adding your own unique stamp. That applies not only to experienced designers, but also to people who create websites for their own business.

It’s something we think about whenever we’re building a product at Wix. For example, the Wix Editor is designed to combine the best of both manual editing and AI efficiency, taking you to a place where you create your best work. I like to call it the sweet spot.

So, how do you hit that sweet spot between AI vs. human creativity?

Here are my web design tips on how you can strike that perfect balance and make your site truly stand out.

Come with a vision

Before you open any design tool or type a single prompt, think about how you want your website to feel. What do you want people to think when they land on your homepage? Those kinds of emotional decisions need to come from you, not AI.

For example, if you own a local bakery, you might want people to feel warm and nostalgic when entering your site. Meanwhile, if you own a tech startup, you might want to create an atmosphere that feels crisp and modern. When you start with a clear vision like this, every design choice—color, typography, use of white space—naturally follows.

You’ll see that AI becomes far more useful when it’s working within a well-defined creative framework rather than guessing your vision from your initial prompts.

Form a partnership with AI

Understand that AI is not just a tool that works for you; you have to work with it. Think of it as a creative partner and guide it just like you’d guide a designer. The more information you provide, the better the result will be.

If your brand colors are red and white, say so. If you love minimalism but hate serif fonts, spell it out. And if it still doesn’t nail your vibe? No problem—there are tools to jump in and adjust it instantly.

Discover how to avoid generic AI website content by using the RACE framework.

Take a hybrid approach

Don't be afraid to mix and match. Use AI to generate ideas for your website, create the layout or write content, but then step in mid-process to add your personal touch. The goal is to create something that feels like your brand by switching to manual design when the time feels right or if you’re going off-track.

You might start by asking AI to generate three homepage layouts or write a first draft of your About section. Then you refine it by swapping images, rewording the copy to match your tone or adjusting the layout to highlight your story. Those final 20% human touches turn “a website” into your website.

Show your authentic self

Let’s be honest—there’s a lot of AI-generated “slop” online right now. I see it on LinkedIn all the time: posts that clearly came from a single prompt with zero thought behind them. It’s gotten so bad that many people now subscribe to the dead internet theory.

The good news is that mindful creators are pushing back by approaching AI with thoughtfulness and applying critical thinking to their web creations. Meanwhile, those using AI to take shortcuts are getting lost in the noise.

So be authentic. Tell visitors on your website why you started your business or what problem you’re passionate about solving. Add real photos, write a short founder’s note—show that there’s a human behind the brand. That’s how you build trust in a sea of sameness.

The Izzy Wheels About page shares the founders' story

Stay curious

Finally, stay curious. AI’s evolving constantly, and the more you experiment, the more fluent you’ll become. Play with new tools (like our Wix AI design features) and see what they can do.

You can even use AI to stay ahead of trends in your industry. Ask it to summarize new design directions, competitor strategies or emerging product ideas.

And keep your site fresh. As your business grows, let your business website evolve, too. Use AI to tweak visuals, refresh copy and fine-tune SEO.

Find the sweet spot between AI vs. human creativity with Wix’s AI website builder.