AI and User Experience

Describe-and-Done: How AI is Changing the Future of Websites 

“Your wish is my command.” 

Until now, it’s been an idea relegated to fairytales and fables. But is it really too good to be true? Generative AI is already transforming how we search, brainstorm, and iterate. It’s only a matter of time until we have AI-driven web experiences that feel like having our wishes granted in an instant. 

For almost 30 years, we’ve learned to interact with the digital world through point-and-click interfaces. We find information by navigating through menus and clicking links. We use visual cues like icons, buttons, and tabs to help us get closer to our ultimate destination. When it works well, a couple clicks gets us all the information we need. But when it doesn’t, we get lost, frustrated, and stuck. 

The rise of AI can fundamentally shift this experience from point-and-click to describe-and-done. Instead of relying on people to actively seek and select information, large language models (LLMs) and generative AI will do it for us. 

Let’s explore what that means for your brand and your customers. 

Imagining the future 

If a consumer wants to buy a specific pair of running shoes based on today’s web experience, they’ll have a lot of hunting to do: 

• Choosing a trusted website 
• Perusing the navigation 
• Selecting the right product category 
• Applying filters 
• Retooling their search for better results 
• Using the search bar to find specific products 
• Comparing products across multiple tabs 
• Adding products to their cart 
• Checking out 

Even this simplified buying experience—which excludes research, comparison shopping, and hunting for promotional codes—shows the many steps buyers take to complete a simple task. In the future, AI-driven site experiences can make this process simpler, faster, and more relevant. 

Imagine going to your favorite athletic brand’s website to find a simple page that adapts based on your prompts. Instead of surfing five pages deep to find a pair of shoes, you prompt the brand’s AI assistant to help you find exactly the right running shoes. It serves up pairs in your size and budget from your favorite brands—and automatically applies the best discount code from their spring sale. 

In the future of AI-enabled web experiences, consumers won’t have to follow predetermined pathways. Instead, they’ll be served personalized results and relevant information that make shopping feel effortless.

Created by people, delivered by AI 

On the back end, AI will fundamentally change the content management system (CMS) as we know it.  LLMs will be able to create, store, publish, and manage content based on the instructions we give it. Instead of static forms and fixed content, LLMs will be able to deliver highly contextual results based on visitor prompts. 

Where, today, writers and designers create the finished experiences we see on websites, these teams will also become the gatekeepers and guardrails of tomorrow’s AI-powered experiences. In the future, creatives will be experts at training LLMs on extensive content, data, and processes so they stay on-brand while interacting with visitors. 

Ultimately, we still need great creative minds to guide the customer experience. Instead of replacing creatives, AI will become a responsive delivery tool that helps their work shine. 

Some companies are already exploring ways to replace the traditional CMS with LLMs, but the next generation of web experiences isn’t quite a reality. In the meantime, there are a few things you can do to stay ahead of the transition: 

1. Document your brand
   What does it mean to look and sound like your company? How does it change across contexts? What are the best examples of branded language and design—and what makes them good? For many companies, the institutional knowledge of the brand is locked away in the minds of its most senior stakeholders. For LLMs to effectively embody your brand in every conversation, you’ll need to document everything you can. Start building your knowledge base now so you have everything you need to train your branded AI later. 
   
2. Develop governance practices
   A common misconception is that you can dump all of your historical content into an LLM and have it understand your brand. But every company evolves over time. You probably have a fair amount of outdated or off-brand content that could skew an LLM's impression of your style. Now is a great time to start auditing your content and identifying opportunities to update or retire it. 
   
3. Upskill your creative team
   It’s not enough to be familiar with generative AI. Set your teams up for success by setting aside time for your team to build their skills. Create sandboxes where they can experiment with using LLMs and generative AI to solve creative problems. Involve them in the process of operationalizing the use of these tools in your business. Finally, create an ongoing practice of learning and optimizing together—technology is changing fast, which means your approach will too. 

No doubt, generative AI marks a new era of transformation across industries and business functions. No matter where you are in your journey, we’re here to partner with you. Let DCG create your AI sandbox so you can get ready for a new era of customer experiences.  

For more on how to win with AI, check out our two-part series on our podcast, The Whole Idea.