I have wrestled with what AI means for our industry during this time. There’s potential to make our jobs easier. However, there are also questions about where these large language models (LLM) get their data and how accurate they are. Not to mention the eerie feeling of replacing humans.

Is the glass half empty or half full? Perhaps we won’t know for a few more years. New tools and technical evolutions are sure to come.

One thing I can say is that AI has changed my workflow. And it’s about more than saving time. Tools like ChatGPT and GitHub’s Copilot have also changed how I approach development projects.

Here’s a look at how AI has impacted me so far. I hope you see a thing or two that resonates.

A Solution to Coding Challenges

I’ll admit it: I’m not the world’s best coder. My experience with PHP and JavaScript is riddled with fits and starts. I tend to make some progress – only to run into a debugging nightmare. It’s those little things that get in the way, you know?

AI tools have, for better or worse, saved me from scouring Google for solutions. I can paste the offending code snippet into ChatGPT, and it will explain where I went wrong. It will even provide a corrected version.

Issues such as syntax errors aren’t easy to spot with the naked eye. Code editors can point them out but don’t often provide easy-to-understand suggestions. AI acts like an extremely patient friend who holds your hand during these tough times.

I feel guilty for contributing to the decline of traffic to Stack Overflow and similar communities. On the other hand, finding quick answers has lowered my stress levels.

This feature is invaluable for freelancers who work solo. It’s like having a colleague on hand, 24/7. And even when the answers aren’t 100% accurate, they usually lead you in the right direction.

A More Holistic Approach to Development

Time is always of the essence when doing custom development work. Budgets are limited, and deadlines are short. Sometimes, this leads to a result that isn’t as good as it could be.

There’s also a tie-in with limited coding skills. It’s hard to build a top-notch feature when you spend most of your time debugging. I find myself rushing to get things done rather than polishing them.

AI has made a huge impact in this area. Its ability to quickly write code and solve problems allows me to approach projects differently. I can take a holistic view that encompasses how things should look and work.

The experience has been freeing. My focus has changed to implementing and then improving my code. There’s room to add details that make for a better user experience. I also have more time for quality control.

If anything, AI has brought some clarity to my usually-scattered mind. Working step-by-step through a project is easier than ever.

A Newfound Confidence in What’s Possible

Custom development has always scared me. I often doubted something was possible until I made it work. Funny as it sounds, having AI’s help at my disposal has improved my confidence. I no longer cringe as much when a client asks for something I haven’t done before.

That doesn’t mean the build process will be worry-free. There will still be bumps in the road and unexpected challenges. However, combining AI with my existing knowledge empowers me to determine the best way forward.

I think this is another side effect of working solo. Each task feels like climbing a mountain when doing it alone. Having access to the right resources helps to ease the burden.

To be clear, I don’t equate AI with a human developer. People are much better at things like planning and critical thinking.

Machines can’t yet compete in that realm. They provide an extra depth of knowledge and boost productivity, though. That makes a big difference when you’re used to doing it all yourself.

It makes me feel like I can take on projects I might have turned down before.

AI Provides a Helping Hand When I Need It

Believe it or not, I don’t use AI every day. Most of my web design and development work originates from my imperfect brain. As does 100% of my writing. I’m happy to keep it that way.

However, I have experienced numerous occasions where an extra bit of help is appreciated. That led to a lot of frustration in the past. Having neither the time nor money to hire an expert for small tasks caused a lot of headaches.

That’s where AI has been most useful. Writing a WordPress function or manipulating the DOM with JavaScript can be accomplished with minimal effort. They’re no longer sticking points that hold me back.

In the end, that’s what tools are supposed to do. We use them to do more in less time. The tools may change, but the concept remains the same. Maybe AI is just the latest in a long line of them.

The post How AI Changed My Web Development Workflow appeared first on Speckyboy Design Magazine.

Websites that feature eCommerce or memberships are prime examples. Each plugin may store data in a different spot. Some create separate database tables. Others use the default WordPress locales.

Export plugins exist that help in some – but not all – circumstances. For example, you might be able to export customer orders. However, grabbing additional data not directly related to those orders may not be possible.

Writing a custom query is another option. But you’ll need to know your way around PHP and MySQL. Not everyone has the expertise to do so.

Artificial intelligence (AI) can help. As I discovered, tools like ChatGPT can do the dirty work. It simplified the process and saved me loads of time. Perhaps it saved my sanity as well.

Here’s how to use AI to get what you need from the WordPress database.

Before We Get Started

There are a few items we should mention before starting:

• Back up Your Site’s Database or Create a Local Copy of Your Site
  None of what we’re doing here should hurt your database. However, create a fresh backup – just in case.
• You can also create a local copy of your site for experimenting. That enables you to work without the risk of harming your production website.
• Have Access to a ChatGPT Account
  We’re using ChatGPT for this demo. Therefore, you’ll want to have access to a free account. You can follow along and experiment.

Other AI tools, such as Google Gemini, may also work. The point is to use an AI tool that will generate code.

Also, a warning: Use caution when generating code. AI tools can make mistakes! Review the code before using it.

What Are You Doing with the Data?
There are a couple of things you can do with the data you retrieve:

• Display the data on the front end of your site;
• Download a CSV file that contains the data;

You’ll want to determine this beforehand. The process is a bit different depending on your choice.

Oh, and you’ll also need access to your site’s database. Access to your theme is required for displaying data on the front end.

Retrieving User Data from Different Plugins

Now, onto our experiment. Let’s take a common sticking point and try to make sense of it.

Our fictional website has two purposes. We sell various products with WooCommerce. Customers come to our site, create accounts, and order from us.

On the other side of the coin, we also sell memberships. Our members pay for access to exclusive content. We use the Restrict Content Pro plugin to power this feature.

Both WooCommerce and Restrict Content Pro have reporting features. For example, we can find out how many members we have. Or the number of WooCommerce customers.

But what if we want to combine this data? There’s no straightforward way to do this. So, let’s see if AI can help.

Step 1: Find the Data You Want

The first step is to determine what data you want to retrieve. Then, you’ll need to find the data inside the WordPress database.

Our goal is to create a CSV export file that includes users who are:

• A customer in our WooCommerce shop AND…
• Have an active membership via Restrict Content Pro;

Data isn’t always easy to locate. In some cases, you may need to reference plugin documentation. Or contact their technical support. A thorough database search can help if all else fails.

In our case, WooCommerce and Restrict Content Pro create custom database tables. That will make our job a bit easier.

• WooCommerce table names use the ‘wp_wc‘ prefix.
• Restrict Content Pro table names use the ‘wp_rcp‘ prefix.

We’ll also want to bring in data from the ‘wp_users‘ and ‘wp_usermeta‘ tables. That allows us to tie customer and membership data to specific users.

With that in mind, we’ll look for the following information:

Step 2: Ask ChatGPT to Create a Database Query

Next, we’ll ask ChatGPT for some help. We’ll want to provide a clear explanation of the task.

Here’s the prompt I used:

I'd like to create a MySQL database query for a WordPress website. I only want to retrieve users who have both a WooCommerce Customer ID and a membership via Restrict Content Pro.

Here is the data I'd like to retrieve:

From the wp_users database table:
ID

From the wp_usermeta database table:
Meta Key: first_name
Meta Key: last_name

From the wp_wc_customer_lookup database table:
customer_id

From the wp_rcp_memberships database table:
status
object_id

Step 3: Get the Response

ChatGPT’s response included a code snippet and a detailed explanation of it (view the full response). The snippet joins multiple database tables together to produce a single report.

So, how do we see if it works? We can run the query in a tool that connects to the site’s database. I’m using a local website that includes AdminerEvo.

You could also use phpMyAdmin, MySQL Workbench, or similar apps. ChatGPT can even provide instructions for whatever app you’re using.

I’ve pasted the query into the SQL Command screen inside AdminerEvo.

Step 4: Study the Results

The results are in! Our fictional website has 198 users. 15 of them have a paid membership. There are also 200 product orders.

So, how many are WooCommerce customers and Restrict Content Pro members? A grand total of seven.

The query results returned the columns we requested. From here, we can tweak things further or export the data.

Going Further with AI

Our example query may seem simple. However, bringing together data from multiple plugins is challenging. A custom solution is often the only solution.

I’m no coding expert. Thus, figuring out how to get data became frustrating. Thankfully, AI has proven to be a terrific tool for the job.

It’s one of the areas where this technology shines. Many of us struggle to write this sort of code on our own. Writing a prompt describing what we want isn’t so bad, however.

There are also opportunities to take things further. We could change our prompt to display data on a WordPress page. Or return data relevant to the currently logged-in user.

A working knowledge of PHP and MySQL can take you a long way. So, experiment and see what you can accomplish. And be sure to add up all the time you save in the process!

The post How to Use ChatGPT to Export Data from a WordPress Database appeared first on Speckyboy Design Magazine.

The technology is already changing how web designers do their jobs. We’re using it to help us debug code and generate content. And who knows what will come next?

We’re also seeing prompt-based tools that promise to “design” for us. The idea is to turn a time-consuming process into one that takes minutes. Oh, and cut into our profits along with it.

Yes, it’s concerning. Even so, I don’t believe that AI will replace us. However, it may require us to reinforce the message of who we are and what we do.

It’s an opportunity to showcase our value to the world. It’s also a chance to re-introduce ourselves to website owners. We might even divert their attention away from these shiny new tools.

How does this look? Here are some ideas for repositioning web designers in the age of AI.

Personal Service and Better Communication

AI tools are user-friendly on the surface. Feed ChatGPT your instructions and watch the magic happen. Could it be that simple?

The reality is a bit different. Getting an accurate response from AI isn’t always easy. You’ll have to write prompts that are crystal clear. Accuracy also depends on the quality of the tool’s training data.

Interacting with a human expert is a better experience. We (hopefully) understand a conversation’s context better than a machine. We can offer solutions based on this information.

It’s hard to overstate the importance of personalized service. The web design industry has a plethora of tools for every need. Finding the right one for a given project is best left to those in the know.

Yes, humans make mistakes. Sometimes, we choose the wrong path. But we can correct course more readily. There’s no need for someone to reprogram us.

Relationship building is also an advantage for us humans. It’s a crucial part of developing a successful website. Try achieving this with a bot!

Web Designers Pay Attention to the Details

The little things often separate a brand from the competition. The same can be said for a website as well.

Human know-how is a factor here. Web designers can draw from experience. There are usability tweaks that an LLM (large language model) may not “think” of. Plus, they may not discern their level of appropriateness.

For example, let’s consider a contact form. Adding placeholder attributes can help guide users to provide the expected input. We’d also want to use HTML labels to improve accessibility. Will an AI design tool take this into account?

Website performance is another relevant example. Reading page speed test results and making appropriate changes is a skill. Sometimes, there are tradeoffs regarding compatibility and functionality. We can’t expect AI to act in our best interest.

There’s no guarantee an AI tool will consider these items. We can use it to help us generate and debug elements, though.

Web designers are better equipped to make these decisions. Plus, we know how to leverage tools to achieve the best result. The machine should be an assistant – not a project lead.

Paving a Path for Client Success

In some ways, the definition of a web designer hasn’t changed much. We’re still here to help clients get from Point A to Point B. We serve as a guide on the pathway to online success.

It’s akin to hiring a professional in other fields. For instance, an auto mechanic may have top-of-the-line tools. However, they still have to know how to do their job. Their education and experience are a big part of why we trust them.

The same is true for our industry. AI tools have massive capabilities – and we’re just scratching the surface. But how do we get the best results from them? That’s something an expert can do.

Perhaps it’s no different than the other DIY platforms out there. Many promise that anyone can build a website.

This is true when taken at face value. None of this speaks to quality or usability, though. That’s why some website owners return to us after an unsatisfactory experience.

Let’s go back to our mechanic analogy. Yes, we can install new brakes on our vehicle. But we may not have the expertise to do it correctly. Thus, it’s probably not worth the risk.

Website owners have a similar choice. They can trust that an AI platform will do everything they need. Or they can work with a professional – one who is committed to bringing their vision to life.

In that way, web designers are an essential piece of the puzzle. We should promote ourselves as such.

The post How to Stay Relevant as a Web Designer in the Age of AI appeared first on Speckyboy Design Magazine.

You could hire someone to help with these tasks. But that can be cost-prohibitive – not to mention inefficient. And there’s also the challenge of finding someone who is reliable.

This is where the advent of artificial intelligence (AI) tools like ChatGPT comes into play. While they can’t do everything for us, they can make quick work of common tasks. That leaves you with more time to focus on other aspects of your projects.

Today, we’ll look at a few common tasks that ChatGPT can perform for web developers. You might be surprised at some of its capabilities.

Create a Regular Expression Based on Your Instructions

The logic and syntax of regular expressions (regex) can be difficult to grasp. So much that you may cringe at the idea of having to write one. We hear you!

On the other hand, regex can be quite powerful. It can be used to find matching data in even the most complicated text strings. If you’re writing code, you’ll eventually need one.

Based on our experiments, ChatGPT is surprisingly good at creating regular expressions. We asked it to write an expression that could find a unique ID within a URL. With just a few basic parameters in our prompt, the tool immediately produced the code and explained how it works.

If you use AI for nothing else in your life, this may be the one task worth trying. It could save your sanity.

Write a Basic WordPress Plugin

Sometimes, the hardest part of writing a custom WordPress plugin is getting started. Trying to include “all the things” at once can lead to frustration. And working within the various APIs WordPress offers can be confusing.

ChatGPT can help. No, it won’t write you a fully-fledged WooCommerce competitor. But it can help get you pointed in the right direction.

For example, you might use it to create a basic plugin. And the tool can also help you add features as you think of them. ChatGPT remembers your “conversations” and lets you go back to them at any time.

A good start is crucial. AI can take care of the initial dirty work. Once you have a solid foundation for your plugin, the sky’s the limit.

Summarize a Blog Post for SEO

Adding a meta description for website content is good practice. It can have a positive impact on search engine optimization (SEO). Plus, it helps readers understand the subject matter when browsing a search results page (SERP).

But writing these summaries can be a pain. Particularly if the content was written by your client. You’ll have to read it whether you’re interested or not. And then you’ll need to write a description in 155 characters or less.

Why not ask ChatGPT? Provide it with the URL and ask for a character-limited summary. In a few seconds, you’ll have a good starting point.

Sure, you may need to fine-tune some of the wording. But that’s still faster and easier than doing it all yourself.

One side benefit: if you’re using WordPress, you can also use the generated text as an excerpt.

Troubleshoot a Buggy Code Snippet

It’s easy to get frustrated while debugging code. You could spend hours trying to figure out why a snippet isn’t working. And even the tiniest syntax error can be the culprit. There are better ways to spend an afternoon (or evening).

Modern development tools can point out errors. Or they’re effective at telling you there’s an error – they don’t always give specifics.

Before you reach your wit’s end, give ChatGPT a try. It’s capable of spotting those pesky syntax issues. If the tool is feeling especially generous, it may provide you with a corrected version.

In our testing, the tool was able to identify errors in both JavaScript and PHP snippets. And it took mere seconds.

This doesn’t guarantee that you’ll be able to fix every issue. But it’s worth the time to see if AI can be of help.

Find the Right Tool for Your Project

Researching tools for development projects can be time-consuming. Plus, depending on the functionality you need; it’s not always easy to find a great match.

Thankfully you can use AI as a trusted consultant. Ask ChatGPT to recommend ways to build a specific type of website and it may have just the solution.

For example, asking: “What WordPress plugin can I use to build an online course?” produces a handful of results. It doesn’t tell you which one is the best, but is there to provide options. From there, you can take a closer look.

At the very least, it could lead you to a tool you hadn’t considered. You might also save a bit of time searching the web.

Take Advantage of What AI Can Do for Your Workflow

Two things can benefit every web developer: a helping hand and more time. AI, and ChatGPT in particular, can provide a bit of both.

And we’re just starting to scratch the surface of what’s possible (for better or worse). These tools won’t take over your job during a vacation, but they can help you get things done quicker.

The items above are examples of how AI can turn your workflow into a well-oiled machine. It’s especially handy for those who work in a fast-paced environment. Because the last thing we need is to get bogged down with a menial task.

It seems like developers are finding new ways to leverage the power of AI daily. Therefore, feel free to experiment. Think of tasks that get in your way and see if this new technology can help. It could result in crossing more things off of your to-do list.

The post 5 Common Tasks That ChatGPT Can Perform for Web Developers appeared first on Speckyboy Design Magazine.

Tools like ChatGPT and Google’s Bard can certainly help to streamline our workflow. They help us troubleshoot code, build plugins, and conduct research. But it can also be used to enhance your website.

There’s plenty of experimentation underway. We’re in the early stages. But AI is being enlisted to help with everything from improving chatbots to generating blog posts.

Today, we’ll look at a few areas where AI is already being leveraged on everyday websites. Take a look and you might find something that moves your site to the next level!

Note: This article mentions specific products that use AI. We do not endorse these products. Nor can we vouch for their quality or accuracy. As always, conduct thorough research before using them.

Help Users Find What They’re Looking For

The concept of chatbots makes sense. You’re not available to answer user questions 24/7. Thus, these automated features can serve as an always-on customer service representative.

But all too often, chatbots don’t measure up. Their user experience (UX) can frustrate even the most patient among us. Accuracy isn’t always a strong point. And it can take a lot of “conversing” to get what you need.

AI is poised to change that. Several tools have been released that promise to improve the experience.

Take DocsBot AI, for example. It uses your website’s content and documentation to “train” a bot via ChatGPT.

There are a few positives to this approach. First, since it uses your content, accuracy shouldn’t be a problem. That eliminates one of the main drawbacks that AI tools have had thus far.

It also takes advantage of ChatGPT’s conversational skills. Previous generations of chatbots struggled with context. Answers often felt like “canned” responses. AI can create a more natural flow to user interaction.

Generate Relevant Website Content

AI tools that generate content seem to be making the biggest splash so far. It has created a buzz. Enough that some companies have attempted to replace human writers (this writer thinks that’s a bad idea, by the way).

WordPress has been fertile ground for these tools. Several have been integrated into the block editor. Provide the tool with a prompt and AI will do the rest. The best part is that you don’t have to leave your website’s back end.

This could be a huge time saver. There are no guarantees when it comes to quality or accuracy, however. Therefore, we wouldn’t recommend publishing generated content without close review.

But AI-generated text can serve as a great starting point. And web designers can even use it when working with clients.

Waiting for a client to provide content is a common issue. So, why not generate sample text that a client can revise? This could greatly speed up the process. Plus, it sure beats using Lorem Ipsum.

Oh, and we can’t forget about images. AI image tools such as DALL-E and Stable Diffusion can produce compelling results. They might be a nice alternative to run-of-the-mill stock photography.

Improve Your Website’s Accessibility and Security

Not all website enhancements are visible. And what happens behind the scenes can be just as important. Both accessibility and security fall into that category.

Automated Accessibility Tools

Automated accessibility tools have existed for quite some time. They’re helpful for testing during the design and development phases of a project. As such, they’re aimed toward web designers more than everyday users.

But user-focused tools are also available. And AI is beginning to increase its capabilities.

For instance, consider software that automatically adds ALT attributes to images. While it works in a technical sense, it may not provide accurate context. Simply adding generic text to an image won’t help users.

But what if a tool could accurately describe the content of an image? Tools like EveryAlt aim to do this with an assist from AI. It may sound like a small thing. But it could dramatically enhance the UX for those who use assistive technologies. It’s also a boost for search engine optimization (SEO) as well.

A Better Way To Detect Malware

Keeping our websites safe is becoming more complex and costly. And despite our best efforts, malicious code still runs wild on the internet. It feels like a losing battle.

A combination of AI and machine learning could be just what we need. Imagine software that’s being fed a steady stream of new threats. As it “learns” the telltale signs of each attack, it can adjust on the fly to detect the code. From there, it could theoretically stop it from being executed. It might even detect new vectors of attack.

MAL{ai} is among the tools taking this approach. Early models are focused on detecting malicious PHP. But expanding the technology to cover languages like JavaScript is also possible.

Building Better Websites With the Help of AI

A website should provide users with the best possible experience. This means producing high-quality content and making sure it’s easy to find. And it’s also important to ensure that its features are accessible and safe to use. AI can play an important role in all of these areas.

None of this is foolproof, however. We shouldn’t rely on AI to do all the work for us. But it can certainly help. Think of it as a collaborator in your quest to build a great website.

What’s more, the ideas above are all in their infancy. As tools continue to improve, we’ll undoubtedly find new uses for them. Therefore, the little enhancements we make today could lead to bigger things tomorrow.

If you’re an early adopter, feel free to experiment. The knowledge you’ll gain will help you better navigate this quickly-expanding technology.

The post How AI Can Improve Your Website’s Performance & User Experience appeared first on Speckyboy Design Magazine.

One such experiment came from Sports Illustrated. The venerable publication has allegedly published AI-generated writers and content on its website. They went so far as to source AI author profile pictures as well.

They’re not the first to try this. CNET tested a similar strategy. There’s no doubt that other companies will follow.

The quest for cheap (or free) content is hitting writers. But it could impact all creative professionals in one way or another. Web designers, developers, and graphic artists are among them.

How far might companies go? And what sort of backlash could they face? I have a few thoughts on what might happen.

Let’s Go Hypothetical with Taylor Swift

Just humor me here. I’m trying to imagine the lengths a company might go to save money. And how they might replace a creative professional with AI. Thus, here’s a hypothetical scenario starring Miss Taylor Swift.

Swift is pulling in a massive amount of cash. Her Eras tour has raked in billions of dollars. She’s a media darling and has fans all over the world. She’s irreplaceable – right? Well, it wouldn’t be shocking if someone tried.

Let’s suppose a record label had all of her recorded music. Perhaps they feed these tracks into an AI model. The app “learns” her lyrical style and the tone of her voice.

Now, that record label has a big idea. Their AI model can generate new songs using Swift’s signature style.

They can replicate her voice. Perhaps they don’t want to go that far, though. It will likely have legal ramifications. But they can change things up just enough to sound similar. And that may be enough to produce a hit.

Would fans accept AI-generated music? The song uses a proven formula, after all. Therefore, let’s assume they do.

Playing this song on the radio may work well. But what about a concert tour? People will want to connect with this hot new artist – or a facsimile of one. It’s a key ingredient to a successful brand.

This fictional record label could hire an actor to lip-sync on stage. A modern-day Milli Vanilli, perhaps. But this doesn’t guarantee an Eras-like hit. The problem is in creating a personal connection.

Swift connects with her fans on an authentic level. She has built her reputation over many years. The idea of replacing her with an actor who “visualizes” an AI tune may be a bridge too far for fans. At least, that’s what I’m hoping.

The Question of Long-Term Success

The scenario above may seem ridiculous. But it’s significantly cheaper than paying an artist. And that’s the worry. Companies will be enticed by the possibilities. And they won’t need to work at the scale of a knockoff Taylor Swift.

A website owner may decide that they can get by without a developer. An ad agency might trust DALL·E to do the work of a graphic designer. Anyone capable of writing a prompt could do this work.

The quality of the work is another matter. After all, it was relatively easy for humans to pick apart the Sports Illustrated articles. Search engines will probably do the same. Why should Google reward such laziness?

Now, back to our industry. I’ve opined before about AI’s impact on web designers. I believe that people will try all manner of ways to save money. But a great website still requires a human touch.

We may see a cycle similar to that of DIY website builders. People will try them. Some will be dissatisfied with the results. That’s when they’ll seek out a professional. I think the same is possible with AI.

AI tools will surely improve. But are they reliable enough for long-term success? That may be the defining question of this era (see what I did there?)

The Acceptance and Expectations for AI

How or if AI replaces creative professionals may come down to our acceptance and expectations. That goes for both decision-makers and the public.

The latter may inform the former. If the public consumes AI-generated content without complaint, AI will spread like wildfire. Companies will continue to test the boundaries.

But what if conversions and SEO rankings start to plummet? We’ll likely see a change in course.

Much may depend on where AI shows up. Consumers may not blink at “disposable” content like Sports Illustrated generated. But they may demand higher quality from journalistic content.

Expectations also play a role for companies. Will they consider an AI-generated website good enough? Or will they prefer the attention to detail of human designers?

We’re still early in the game. The answers will determine the impact on how creative professionals are valued.

Where Is This All Headed?

I’m betting that AI will become a foundation for many types of projects. Perhaps it seizes the low end of the market. For example, it could spell trouble for those building fast and cheap websites.

But it doesn’t signal the end for skilled humans. Talented people will continue to thrive.

It does feel like a period of adjustment, though. Thus, any feelings of unease are understandable.

I don’t have all the answers. But I hope that continuing to learn and grow will help. In the end, maybe that’s all we can do. Prove our worth time and again.

Meanwhile, we can watch as AI evolves and brings chaos to multiple industries.

The post Will Replacing Creative Professionals with AI Backfire? appeared first on Speckyboy Design Magazine.

I’m particularly fond of the Doomsday scenarios. You know, the very darkest of sci-fi fantasies. The possibility of working for a machine sounds modern. I wonder how well it pays?

Then there’s the idea that we must “learn” AI. The term “prompt engineer” has been thrown around. This one sounds perfect for a grumpy designer! It also seems like a job with a short shelf life.

We used to write code to direct a computer. But now we tell it what to do. It’s less work for more money. Who wouldn’t want this job?

But seriously. What should web designers learn about AI? Do we need to learn anything at all? I have a few unscientific ideas. Just take them with a grain of salt. I haven’t run any of this by ChatGPT yet.

AI Prompts Test Your Communication Skills

The idea of a career in prompt engineering sounds strange. But I admit that the job requires some skill. You might have issues if you’re not a gifted communicator.

Generative code seems like an area of relevance. Large language models (LLMs) like ChatGTP and Bard can accept vague instructions. That will likely produce some basic code. It serves as a foundation to build upon.

But complex code needs clear, detailed instructions. Not everyone possesses this ability.

Just think of the clients who have trouble explaining a design feature. Do we expect these people to generate the next great WordPress plugin?

The results may suffer if a prompt is too light or wordy. LLMs will likely improve. But there will still be hurdles for those who struggle with clear communication.

Your primary language may also be a barrier. What if a model isn’t well-versed in your language? That’s going to make prompts more difficult.

Therefore, it’s wise to brush up on your written communication skills. They’ll come in handy.

Using APIs To Build AI Apps

Several AI tools either have or will release an application programming interface (API). The concept should be familiar to web designers. The likes of Google and social media providers have similar offerings.

You can tap into the power of ChatGPT to build an application. This is useful if your project needs one-off functionality. Or if you have a killer idea that will make billions. That may be far-fetched. It seems like most people are using it to generate text thus far.

Learning one of these APIs won’t apply to everybody. It’s more likely that we’ll use apps created by others. For instance, a WordPress plugin that adds a chatbot to your site.

Understanding how an API works is still valuable, though. And there’s a market for niche applications. Perhaps the real money will be in helping organizations implement AI.

When To Use AI Tools

It’s tempting to use AI for just about every task. Just like your mother told you, the machine knows best.

But the reality is that AI isn’t good at everything. It struggles with accuracy. It even hallucinates occasionally.

Learning a tool’s strengths and weaknesses is vital. The facts, figures, and code generated by AI may look great. But how do you know for sure?

Practicing blind faith in these tools is not recommended. If accuracy matters, take the time to double-check the results. You might want to regenerate a response as well. AI tools will often provide multiple answers for the same prompt.

Thus, treat AI like that shady friend you had in high school. Feel free to hang out together. But don’t rely on it for anything too important. It will only get you into trouble.

Learn How To Get What You Want From AI

Like any tool, AI has a learning curve. But there’s no need to study every aspect. It’s more important to learn how to produce the desired results.

Your communication skills are vital. And tools that understand your instructions also play a role. Your success depends on both items.

What if you struggle to write AI prompts? There are a lot of guides popping up that can help.

And you can do more than follow their examples. Pay close attention to the way each prompt is worded. Experiment with similar language in your virtual conversations.

It also helps to be a bit grumpy skeptical. This will help you better understand the limitations of these tools. They don’t “know” everything. And, like the people they are supposedly replacing, they make mistakes.

The machines aren’t taking over yet. But it’s worth learning how to take advantage of them. You may end up as the more powerful being.

The post The Grumpy Designer Ponders What It Means To ‘Learn’ AI appeared first on Speckyboy Design Magazine.

Tools like Bard, ChatGPT, and Stable Diffusion are becoming mainstream. And people have a lot of opinions regarding what they mean to society. Two very boisterous camps are forming.

On the one hand, we have the AI cheerleaders. They are looking at the future through rose-colored glasses. Even if they have concerns about potential misuse, they’re generally optimistic.

Then we have the doomsday crowd. They tend to see AI as a means to spread disinformation and put humans out of work. Science fiction has become a reality.

I tend to be somewhere in the middle. Yes, I see benefits. But I also worry about the harm that AI might cause. Plus, we don’t fully understand what we’re doing with this technology. We’re moving full speed ahead – consequences be damned.

This thinking also applies to AI’s impact on web designers. The existing tools we have can be helpful. Yet they also present some significant challenges to our industry.

Here are a few areas where I believe AI will frustrate web designers. And (surprise), none of them are existential!

Cleaning Up After Adventurous Clients

Some website owners love to experiment. They’ll install new WordPress themes or plugins without a second thought. Or they’ll attempt to change the meticulously-crafted page layout you built for them.

Web designers are usually left to deal with the aftermath. It’s part of the job. And AI may make things even harder to manage.

It’s not hard to imagine the trouble one can get into. A client could generate content that’s full of inaccuracies. Or they might add a problematic code snippet.

Even AI image generators can be problematic. There is a lot of gray area when it comes to copyright. Therefore, a client may upload an illegal image.

This new category of tools performs tasks at lightning speed. The negative impact on a website could happen just as quickly.

A Race to the Bottom in Pricing

It’s no secret that AI tools can write code. That might send shivers down your spine. And some developers may wonder if they’ll soon be replaced by bots.

This fear is not unfounded. Stories are already detailing how humans have lost their jobs to ChatGPT. These cases may be extreme. But web designers could still take a direct hit.

Pricing is an area that seems ripe for conflict. Some prospective clients may scoff at the cost of a seasoned developer. They’ll reason that AI is “faster and cheaper.” No mention of accuracy or adaptability, of course.

Even so, web design isn’t easy. And a great website still requires a human touch. To this point in history, AI alone can only advance a project so far.

But will anyone be surprised when a client uses AI as an excuse to pay less? It’s only a matter of time before this becomes a common argument.

Here’s hoping that most clients embrace reality. There are things web professionals do that bots can’t. It’s a point worth driving home.

An Influx of Spam and Junk Content

Clients aren’t the only ones who will use AI to create content. Spammers and malicious actors are sure to take advantage. They are undoubtedly giddy about the possibilities AI presents.

There are multiple reasons for concern. First, AI-generated content is usually coherent. This may allow it to slip past some spam filters. And phony content that looks legitimate is dangerous. Thus, we may see more users falling victim to phishing scams.

AI is also incredibly fast. A tool built for rogue purposes could flood a web or email server and cause service interruptions. And it may be “smart” enough to adjust tactics on-the-fly.

Spam is already a thorn in a web designer’s side. AI has the potential to raise the bar exponentially. As a result, we may see higher costs for maintenance, web hosting, and email services.

The day-to-day tasks we perform will likely become harder – all thanks to the misuse of AI.

The Added Cost of Using AI Tools

AI may lead to higher costs across the board. And that’s not accounting for the cost of the tools themselves.

These tools are in their early stages. Many provide free service levels. But make no mistake: their creators are expecting massive profits.

Let’s use ChatGPT as an example. Developers hoping to tap into its API will have to purchase “tokens.” The more you use the service, the more tokens you’ll need. And those costs will ultimately be passed on to users.

For web designers, this means an extra expense for projects. Those who like the convenience of AI will need to budget accordingly. And it may be too easy to spend more than you anticipated.

Sure, it may be cheaper than hiring a freelancer. But there will be a cost for employing the help of AI.

Navigating a New Era of Web Design

For all its potential to help web designers, AI might also become an obstacle. It’s a nascent technology that we’re just beginning to understand. Thus, we’re likely to hit some serious bumps in the road.

So much depends on how people use it. Some will inevitably do so in ways that make our jobs harder. It might be an adventurous client or a hacker. But web designers will be tasked with cleaning up the mess regardless.

We may also struggle with client expectations. Humans can’t work at the speed of AI. Yet some people may expect us to. And they’ll also devalue the knowledge and experience of professional designers. That could eventually shrink the pool of potential clients.

It sounds gloomy. But web designers are great at adapting to new circumstances. We routinely adopt new technologies and revise our workflows. And despite the challenges, we can do it again with AI.

The post AI Presents Many Challenges for Web Designers appeared first on Speckyboy Design Magazine.

There are plenty of stories and opinions to choose from. But one recent incident caught my eye.

A website owner claimed that their site was being “hammered” by a content scraping bot. The tool img2dataset, catalogs large volumes of images for use in AI tools like Stable Diffusion.

The site’s owner opened an issue on the tool’s GitHub repository. He was advised to opt out of scraping. To do so, he’d have to add specific headers to his website.

This is our new reality. These tools are grabbing all manner of content – copyrighted images included. They’re regurgitating it to their users. Indeed, it’s the world’s biggest mash-up.

What’s more, it’s up to website owners to specify that they don’t want to participate. Is this as outrageous as it sounds? Let’s examine the issue and what it means for website owners.

Scraping Website Content for Profit Isn’t New

On one level, a tool scraping your website isn’t a novel idea. Search engines have been both indexing content and displaying relevant bits in results for years. In addition, RSS has allowed for retrieving text and images since the early days of the web.

And companies like Google have profited massively from these efforts. The more data they collect, the better results they provide. Thus, the more eyeballs they attract. That results in bigger ad revenue.

It’s been the way of the world for a few decades now. Therefore, it’s no surprise that other companies are taking a similar approach.

After all, an AI developer needs a good source of content to “train” its tool. What better way to do so than by collecting as much data as possible? For them, the web is the gift that keeps on giving.

So, the mere fact that a bot is visiting your website and cataloging content isn’t a big deal. But maybe that’s where the similarities end.

Is There Any Benefit for Website Owners?

The big difference is in who benefits. When a search engine indexes your website, you stand to gain something. Better rankings mean more visitors – and potentially more customers. And if you practice search engine optimization (SEO), you’re asking Google to visit.

AI bots may not rise to the level of an uninvited guest. But they’re not exactly visiting to your benefit, either.

For example, when you ask ChatGPT to write code, it’s not thinking back to the computer science course it took in college. The tool is tapping into previously-scraped content. True, it may not be a line-for-line copy (although sometimes it is). But the language model is using what it has “learned” to produce an answer.

Similarly, generating an image of Elon Musk riding a unicorn isn’t magic (sorry to spoil the fun). The various visual components had to come from somewhere. Original (and potentially copyrighted) images are key ingredients.

In both scenarios, the beneficiaries are the AI tool and the end user. The sources used to generate this content? They have more bot traffic added to their monthly bandwidth usage.

The developer of img2dataset has a slightly different take. Among their responses to concerns about requiring an opt-out:

“You will have many opportunities in the years to come to benefit from AI. I hope you see that sooner rather than later. As creators you have even more opportunities to benefit from it.”

Their logic seems to suggest that we’ll all benefit from AI at some point. So, allowing the tool to scrape your content is good for humanity. Or something like that.

To Block or Not to Block?

The decision of whether to block AI from scraping your website is complex. Or it requires multiple stages, at least.

Perhaps the easiest part is identifying your philosophy. Are you OK with your content being scraped? If so, carry on. If not, the other parts of the equation are more complicated.

For one, there’s no universal way to opt out of all AI scraping. The headers for blocking image2dataset work only for that tool. That means keeping track of popular tools and finding methods for blocking them.

And companies like Google and Microsoft are further complicating the conversation. Both own search engines. You likely want them to index your website. But they also have AI tools. Where is the line drawn between these different products?

For its part, Google’s Bard claims that it doesn’t scrape content from websites (I asked!). But in the same conversation, it also says that websites are a part of where it gets data. Make what you will of those answers.

If you’d like to block all manner of AI tools, it won’t be easy. But maybe not for long. I can envision services that will cater to website owners who want nothing to do with content scraping. They may allow us to do so more efficiently.

But until such time, this seems like a losing battle. AI is inevitable. And who has time to catalog every new app that hits the market? Plus, it may be difficult to block these tools without also negatively impacting SEO.

Website Owners Must Fend For Themselves

Not everyone will be as impacted as the frustrated user in our introduction. In that case, it appears that image2dataset was indexing a large volume of images. Unless you’re in the same boat, your site probably won’t experience any problems.

But the issue goes much deeper. It should make us think about how we value our content. And we should question what sort of rights (if any) these tools have. Can they simply take what they want? Or should there be guidelines outlining what is and isn’t permissible?

Meaningful regulation of the industry could be months or even years away. In the interim, website owners are left to fend for themselves.

As part of the effort, it’s important to make your voice heard. Encourage companies to make opting out of scraping a transparent process. Express your concerns to elected officials and others of influence.

It may not slow down the onslaught of AI tools. But it could prevent things from getting too far out of hand. That will benefit us all.

The post AI Tools Are Scraping Your Website. Is That a Good Thing? appeared first on Speckyboy Design Magazine.

As ever, the reality is more nuanced. For every potential good thing to come from the tech, it seems there are as many drawbacks. And finding balanced expertise on the subject has been a challenge.

I’m personally on the fence. From what I’ve seen so far, AI can do some very useful things. And I think it can be incredibly helpful to web designers.

Yet some aspects give me great concern. In part because I feel like I’ve seen this movie before. An innovation that is predicted to change the world. Only it’s not necessarily the Utopian dream some are selling (see Zuckerberg, Musk, et al.).

With that, maybe we should take the hype regarding AI with a grain of salt. And, to keep up with that sassy Bing chatbot, add in a dash of grumpiness.

AI Solves Problems and Creates New Ones

It’s no surprise that some of the biggest proponents of AI are those that stand to gain the most. And it’s hard to blame them. The job of a salesperson is to accentuate the positives – not dwell on the negatives.

And tools like ChatGPT have several positive aspects. They’re capable of increasing efficiency and knocking down technical barriers. This benefits everyone from writers, and medical researchers, to auto mechanics.

Even better is that these tools don’t have to do everything for us. Something as small as a gentle nudge in the right direction can save us precious time.

Using web design as an example, a few brave souls (and me) have used ChatGPT to generate a WordPress plugin. But it could just as well help write CSS or JavaScript. You might even use it to help explain a complex concept to a client. Imagine the burden this could lift off our shoulders.

On the other side of the coin, several potential negatives could also come into play:

Inaccurate Content and Built-in Biases

AI tools are built by humans. Therefore, they’re imperfect. They’re also subject to the inherent feelings, biases, and motivations of their creators.

In practice, each tool is only as good as the people who created it. The quality of the content they feed into the app makes all the difference.

So, what are the downsides? One example seems to demonstrate the possibilities: a social media company’s algorithm.

Let’s imagine a social media network that tilts its algorithm towards showing inflammatory or inaccurate information. That’s what users are going to see most often in their timelines.

Similarly, there’s no guarantee that an AI tool will provide the correct answers. And even if its creator is reputable, there still might be biased information being returned.

Large companies may use the opportunity to share their point of view, in addition to facts. Or it may have inadvertently been fed content that perpetuates stereotypes.

Thus, AI isn’t immune to human fallibility.

Humans May Put Too Much Trust in AI

If an AI app produces an inaccurate response, there’s no guarantee that a user will catch on. Like so much of what’s written on the internet, some may simply believe what they read.

And this doesn’t just affect fact-based content like news or medical information. It could also find its way into the code these tools produce.

Take an AI-generated WordPress plugin, for example. You might test the results and find that it indeed works. That’s awesome! But how do you know that best practices were followed?

The code could contain a gaping security hole. Even worse, it might be hiding something malicious. Once deployed, this generated plugin could cause a whole lot of trouble.

Sure, a human coder might do the same thing. But that’s the point. Quality and accuracy aren’t assured in either case.

Creative Works Could Be Used Without Permission

It wasn’t so long ago that we saw a wave of legal threats from stock photography services. When an (allegedly) unlicensed version of a copyrighted image was found, the provider came down hard on the offending website owners.

AI is already providing those same lawyers with plenty of work. Getty Images, for example, filed a lawsuit against a tool that generates artwork.

At first glance, this may appear to be a battle between corporations. But the impact could trickle down to end users as well. It’s fair to wonder about the risk of using AI-generated images on your website. Will it leave you open to legal threats?

Code is also a potential trap. Perhaps open-source materials are fine to use. But what if a tool indexes a snippet from a private repository? And how can an end user tell the difference?

Without processes in place that allow creators to opt-in to feeding AI tools, we’ll never know where content comes from. That’s a risk.

There’s Always More Than Meets the Eye

Those touting the game-changing potential of AI aren’t necessarily wrong. There’s every reason to believe that this technology can reshape entire industries – if not the world.

But the skeptic in me feels like we’re only getting a partial story. After all, any tool that can be used to do good can also be used to harm. And the final judgment is truly in the eye of the beholder.

The bottom line is that individuals, organizations, and governments will use AI in ways that benefit them. Their interests won’t always align with everyone else’s. We must be smart enough to gauge their motives and determine whether they’re acceptable.

That’s worth keeping in mind as we’re inundated with grand proclamations about this nascent technology.

The post Why the Grumpy Designer Isn’t Sold on the AI Hype Machine appeared first on Speckyboy Design Magazine.