Websites are one of those «I’ll get to it someday» tasks. It’s easy to put off creating or updating a website. The photography, graphics, copywriting and technical components make managing a website a big task. Being able to lean on and leverage artificial intelligence for some or all of these elements could be a huge timesaver.
Even if you already have one, websites are static and easy to outgrow — my current site is well overdue for an overhaul, as it doesn’t reflect the global nature of my business now. I’m now based in the United States, but this isn’t clear with my current Australian domain.
I used WordPress for my current site and know my way around the dashboard, so when I saw its new AI-powered website builder announced last week, I had to try it.
What is the WordPress AI website builder?
The WordPress AI website builder launched on April 9 and is free to use, but you’ll need a WordPress hosting plan to launch it. Those plans range from $4 to $45 a month.
The AI builder is only available when creating a new website from scratch, but if you already have a WordPress website and want to explore AI, check out the AI Assistant.
Instead of picking a WordPress theme, adding text, photos and branding, the AI builder does it all for you.
So is creating a professional website as easy as having a conversation? Let’s find out what «fully designed and content-ready» really means.
How to use the WordPress AI website builder
The steps are simple:
1. Head to the WordPress AI website builder and tell the AI tool what you want to create. For example, «build a website for my coffee shop» or, in my case, «build a website for my freelance business to build my brand in the US.» Be as specific as possible — if you can, provide a site name, what the website will be used for, the content you’ll publish, what products you’ll sell and so on. Specificity is key.
2. Log into WordPress if you have an account. Or sign up if you don’t.
3. Make changes to what it creates by manually editing the page or requesting updates in the chat box. You get 30 free prompts, or you can purchase a hosting plan to get unlimited prompts.
4. Launch your new website. That is, if you like it enough.
Follow these steps with a healthy dose of skepticism. That’s important when using any AI tool.
Testing the AI website builder
Here was my first prompt: «Build a website for my freelance business to build my brand in the US. I’m a journalist and writer with a global roster of clients/outlets. I’ll use this website to showcase my portfolio, the clients I’ve worked with, and grow my personal brand. I love the look and feel of New York Magazine.»
I had to sign in or sign up before I could see the results. Cliffhanger!
Once I was in, it asked me for a title. I just used the URL of my current site but with a .com instead of a .com.au address.
And… it was awful. Check it out below.
It’s ironic that a cutting-edge tech like AI used a typewriter as the lead image.
I don’t know much about website design, but I know how important above-the-fold is. I have no idea how it can create content out of thin air without any context. What I was hoping to see was an elegant site skeleton that I could personalize. But none of the layout or UX made sense.
It even made up vague testimonials, which obviously didn’t sit right with me, and made no sense for what my site is about.
It didn’t pick up that I’m in New York, either — instead including a map of San Francisco. It could have just left the map out altogether, since I work with global clients. Also, it used language like «Visit Us» when I specified in the prompt that I’m a freelancer, so I don’t work in an office.
With only 30 credits to work with, there’s no way I would be able to get this to where I want it to be, meaning I’d soon have to pay for it.
For the sake of the experiment, I wanted to see if I could at least replace the lead image with a photo of me, so I clicked on «How do I change the header design?» It responded with info about how to «update your site layout,» including asking the AI tool to «change my site layout» and then choose from a list of layouts or ask it to generate another one.
This was a little confusing, as I was just trying to update the header, not the entire layout. I asked the AI if I could upload a photo to use as the header image. It said I could drag in images in the editor view. AI could generate an image or fetch a stock photo, but I had to manually upload my own ones, which didn’t feel that different to being in the standard WordPress dashboard.
In the chatbox, I asked AI to generate more layouts that look like New York Magazine. It generated more cringy layouts.
More typewriters, tiny fonts and untrue testimonials.
Not getting anywhere, I quickly Googled «best WordPress themes for writers» and found one I liked within seconds. Elegant, minimal and subtle animations to make the page feel alive.
The AI site builder isn’t currently trained on data from WordPress users’ websites, instead building sites based on its «expert opinion about what different types of people need from a website,» an Automattic spokesperson told CNET.
It’s still early days with the WordPress AI website builder and it’ll improve with time.
Would I publish my AI WordPress site?
That’s a big fat no. I don’t see the point of using an AI builder and trying to convey my design taste in the fewest words possible when I could just explore templates.
I’d much prefer to use the normal version of WordPress, pick the template I love, personalize it with my own photography and content, and play around with some AI features in the dashboard.
For something as important as a website, there’s no need to take shortcuts. Instead, check out CNET’s list for the best free website builders, and you’ll likely see a lot more success.
