Curious about building websites with AI?

​Webflow's new AI website builder promises to revolutionize the web design process. But does it actually deliver a quality website? And is this truly the future of AI-powered web design?

In this post, we'll explore Webflow's AI site builder to see if it lives up to the hype.

As someone with limited Webflow experience, I decided to put this AI tool to the test. Whether you're new to Webflow or an experienced user, you'll want to see how this AI-powered solution stacks up. Let's dive in and explore the capabilities of the Webflow AI website builder.

Getting Started with Webflow AI Site Design

To begin, I selected the AI site builder option within Webflow. The process starts by entering some basic information about your business. For this test, I decided to create a website for a fictional SEO agency called "Jack's SEO."

Webflow provides prompt suggestions to help guide your AI-generated design. I modified one of these prompts to specify the services offered by Jack's SEO. Here's a tip: be as detailed as possible in your prompt to get the best results.

Next, you can define your style preferences or let the AI suggest options. For this experiment, I chose to stick with AI-suggested styles for all elements.

Analyzing the AI-Generated Website

After submitting the information, Webflow's AI got to work. In less than a minute, it produced an initial design. The result was a clean, modern layout with a standard landing page style. Some notable features included:

• Dynamic elements
• Call-to-action buttons
• A services section
• Team member profiles
• A blog post preview

While the design looked professional, the AI-generated images were noticeably generic. This is an area where human input would be necessary to add a personal touch to the site.

Customizing AI-Built Websites in Webflow

One of the strengths of Webflow's AI builder is its integration with Webflow's powerful editor. After generating the initial design, you're taken to the familiar Webflow interface where you can make further customizations.

Here are some ways you can refine your AI-generated site:

• Adjust theme colors and typography
• Modify text content
• Replace AI-generated images
• Rearrange layout elements
• Add or remove sections

The ability to easily edit the AI-generated content is a significant advantage. It allows you to maintain creative control while benefiting from the AI's rapid design process.

Exploring Webflow AI Features and Functionality

Let's take a closer look at some key features of the Webflow AI website builder:

Responsive Design

The AI-generated design is responsive out of the box. I tested the layout on desktop, tablet, and mobile views, and it adapted well to different screen sizes. However, some elements might need manual adjustment for optimal display on smaller devices.

Page Structure and Navigation

The AI creates a basic site structure with a home page and additional utility pages like a 404 error page. However, you'll need to manually add more pages and build out the site navigation to create a full website.

CMS Integration

While the AI generates a blog post preview, it doesn't automatically set up a Content Management System (CMS). You'll need to create collections and configure the CMS manually if you want to add a blog or other dynamic content to your site.

Learn more about Webflow CMS here:

Webflow AI vs Traditional Web Design

Comparing Webflow's AI builder to traditional web design methods reveals some interesting pros and cons:

Advantages of Webflow AI

• Rapid initial design creation
• Good starting point for beginners
• Integrates with Webflow's powerful editor

Limitations of Webflow AI

• Generic AI-generated images
• Limited customization through prompts
• Lack of advanced features like CMS setup

For those new to web design or looking to quickly prototype ideas, Webflow's AI builder offers a significant time-saving advantage. However, experienced designers might find the initial AI output too basic and prefer starting from scratch or using pre-built templates.

The Future of AI in Web Design

Webflow's AI website builder shows promise, but it's clear that we're still in the early stages of AI-powered web design. As the technology evolves, we can expect improvements in areas like:

• More sophisticated prompt understanding
• Better integration with Webflow's full feature set
• Improved AI-generated images and content
• More advanced customization options

While AI can streamline the initial design process, human creativity and expertise remain crucial in creating truly unique and effective websites. The ideal approach might be a collaboration between AI-generated foundations and human refinement.

Ready to take your web design skills to the next level? Sign up for No Code MBA's comprehensive Webflow course at https://nocode.mba/sign-up. We'll teach you how to harness the power of Webflow, including its new AI features, to create stunning websites without writing code.

FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions)

Is Webflow's AI website builder free to use?

It is free to create one, maybe two sites. However, to use any advanced features and to host the website, you'll need a paid plan. It means that you can try it out first.

Can I use my own images with the AI-generated design?

Yes, you can easily replace the AI-generated images with your own once you're in the Webflow editor.

Does the AI builder create a fully functional website?

The AI creates a basic structure and design, but you'll need to add functionality like forms, CMS, and advanced interactions manually.

How customizable are the AI-generated designs?

Once the AI generates the initial design, you have full access to Webflow's editor to customize every aspect of your site.

Can the AI builder create e-commerce websites?

Currently, the AI builder focuses on creating basic website layouts. For e-commerce functionality, you'll need to set this up manually using Webflow's e-commerce features.