Will AI tools make building websites easier, or just flood the internet with cookie-cutter content?

Squarespace is betting on the former with its new AI-driven platform, Design Intelligence, which aims to help users create custom websites more quickly and effectively.

In a conversation with Paul Gubbay, Chief Product Officer at Squarespace, I learned more about their approach. Gubbay explained that many AI-powered website builders churn out generic, poorly designed sites. In contrast, Squarespace’s AI generates polished, professional designs, while still allowing users to fully customize their sites.

Here’s how Squarespace is taking a different approach to AI in web design:

Squarespace AI:

The details:

1. Curating AI for High-Quality Websites

• While some companies rush to integrate AI for the sake of standing out, Squarespace focuses on using AI to help customers stand out.

• Design Intelligence generates content—text, images, and layouts—that looks professional, but users can still easily personalize it to match their brand.

2. AI as a Tool for Creativity, Not a Replacement

• Gubbay emphasized that Squarespace wants the AI to act like a creative assistant. Instead of relying on chatbots or overwhelming prompts, the AI offers visual options that users can adjust in a "playground" of design possibilities.

• The system is built on the idea that you’ll "know it when you see it," making it easy to choose, tweak, and finalize designs.

3. Curation and Technology Work Together

• Squarespace doesn't just pump out AI-generated content at random. They have a proprietary "curation engine" that ensures the AI produces high-quality designs and images that align with their brand’s aesthetic.

• The company fine-tunes prompts to generate results that reflect what their customers want and discard anything that doesn’t fit.

4. Using AI Without Replacing Human Creativity

• Squarespace leverages external AI platforms like OpenAI and Google, but focuses on customizing the outputs to suit their customers’ specific needs. They act as a bridge, translating the raw capabilities of AI into tailored designs for users.

• Even with more AI-driven features, Gubbay is confident Squarespace websites will not start to look generic. The platform will offer faster and better customization, keeping design at the forefront.

5. A Tool for Designers, Not a Threat

• Gubbay stressed that AI isn't here to replace designers but to make their work more efficient. He believes AI tools can help designers bring ideas to life faster, allowing them to focus more on creativity rather than repetitive tasks.

• Squarespace partners and professional designers should see AI as an opportunity to enhance their services, not a threat to their jobs.

With Design Intelligence, Squarespace is merging AI with human creativity, making website building more intuitive while maintaining high-quality, custom designs. Instead of replacing designers or flooding the web with generic sites, their approach allows AI to assist in the process while keeping users in control. AI is not just about automation it’s about helping creators get better results, faster.

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