The explosion of AI website builders has left a lot of people asking the same question: “Why would I pay a designer or agency to build my site when I can use AI to make one for free?”
It’s a fair question, and one we’ve heard firsthand from clients. To answer it, we actually tried building a site ourselves using an AI tool. We picked a popular platform (Wix) and gave it a whirl. The result? Technically functional, but… honestly, kind of ugly. Structurally, it didn’t meet the brief. The content was awkward, the design generic, and while it was quick to launch, it still required a ton of tweaking to be even halfway decent. It felt like AI had handed us the skeleton of a site but not the soul.
That experience underscored something important: AI is a tool, not a solution. And just like any tool, it’s only as powerful as the person using it.
AI Website Builders Are the Assistant, Not the Artist
We’re in a new chapter of digital creativity, one where AI is no longer just about speed. It’s beginning to shape tone-of-voice, suggest layouts, and even draft basic content. But great design isn’t just about checking boxes, it’s about translating a brand’s story into an experience. And that’s not something AI can do on its own.
Think of an AI website builder like a high-tech paintbrush. It’s fast. It’s efficient. But without an artist’s eye guiding it, the results are going to be generic at best, and messy at worst.
Yes, AI can build websites but it builds them based on trends, templates, and training data. It doesn’t know what makes your business different. It doesn’t understand your goals, your audience, or the emotional journey behind your brand. It’s not trying to make you memorable, it’s trying to make you average. And that’s a big problem when every other business is doing the same thing.
The Problems with AI Website Builders
Let’s get specific. AI website builders come with limitations that are often overlooked:
- Customization is limited. You’re locked into templates, layouts, and colour schemes that often don’t stretch far enough to reflect your actual brand identity.
- You’re stuck with what you get. Most AI builders offer few options for exporting or moving your site. Once it’s built, you’re locked into that platform. Growth and scalability? That gets tricky.
- Designs are cookie-cutter. AI generates your website based on data. It mimics what’s already out there which means your site might look suspiciously like someone else’s.
- Optimization takes a hit. AI-generated code can be bloated or messy under the hood, impacting site performance and making it difficult to maintain long term.
- Security and control are in someone else’s hands. When you use a tool trained on user data, you often don’t know how that data is stored or how secure it really is.
Add to that the fact that AI-written content can be dry, AI-selected images can feel disconnected, and most people don’t realize they still have to edit everything the tool spits out. Suddenly that “free and easy” AI website builder doesn’t feel so simple.
What an Agency Actually Does Differently Than AI
A good agency doesn’t just build a website, we build a brand experience. That starts with understanding your business goals, your voice, your market, and your ideal customer. From there, we design not just a website but a digital identity that reflects your personality and drives real results.
Yes, we use tools. Sometimes, we even use AI. But like any seasoned craftsperson, we know when to trust the tool and when to take the reins. We fact-check, rewrite, tweak, design, and optimize. We think about SEO, conversion paths, user psychology, mobile responsiveness, long-term scalability—all the invisible but crucial stuff that makes a website work.
That’s where human creativity meets strategic thinking. AI can support the process, but it can’t replace it.
The Real Cost of “Free” AI Website Builders
The AI site you build for free might seem like a win until you realize that making it functional, readable, and trustworthy takes a ton of work. Or until you need to make a change and find out you’re locked into a system that won’t grow with your business. Or worse, until a potential customer visits your site and doesn’t feel anything.
There’s also the hidden cost of lost opportunity. A site that fails to connect emotionally with your audience is a site that misses sales, referrals, and brand loyalty. In today’s economy, your website is your storefront, your business card, and your first impression all rolled into one. It’s crucial to have a website that connects your brand to your customer in a way that leads them down the path to a conversion. Can machine learning do that? Maybe…with the right guidance.
Human-Centered Design Is the Future For AI, And AI Is The Future For Agencies
As AI becomes more advanced, the most successful creatives will be those who know how to work with it. That’s where agencies shine. We’re fluent in AI, but also fluent in storytelling, UX, marketing strategy, and emotional design. We know how to turn the knobs and fine-tune the output to match your voice, your values, and your vision.
We’re also here for the long haul. Launching a website is only the beginning. We help monitor performance, make data-driven improvements, and ensure your digital presence evolves as your business does. AI might get you started but an agency makes sure you stay on track.
Can You Use A Free AI Website Builder To Create Your Site? Sure, But Will It Deliver Results? 3SIXTY Designs Websites That Achieve Everything You Need Them To Do.
We’re not anti-AI. In fact, we think AI is one of the most exciting tools to hit digital design in decades. But tools don’t replace artists, they offer them new ways to perfect their craft. So if you’re building a brand that matters, that has a story to tell, and that needs to stand out in a crowded marketplace, ask yourself: Do you want a website that just exists, or one that connects?
If it’s the latter, we’d love to help because behind every good website there’s more than a tool, there’s a team. The experts at 3SIXTY Marketing Solutions have been doing this for years, and we know how to make building your website as smooth and stress-free as possible. And we’ll be here to support you if things change or need a quick fix.
Have questions? Let’s chat! Call 647-250-1494, or book a free consultation today, and let’s get started on building a website that brings in customers.
