Websites & AI: What to expect in 2025 and beyond

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is reshaping the digital landscape, and websites are no exception. From content creation and personalisation to accessibility and search, AI is gradually becoming an integral part of how websites are built, managed, and experienced.

I know the above sentence is common sense and probably nothing you haven't heard before. But, stick with me. I've outlined how I see AI impacting websites in the short, medium, and long term.

Short-Term: today

We’re already seeing AI make a tangible difference behind the scenes, and your new website should be equipped to take advantage of these advancements:

• Content generation in the backend - AI tools can now assist with writing content directly within your website’s backend. This speeds up content creation and ensures a consistent tone of voice across pages. This is now common place in our websites. 

• A shift in how people search - With tools like ChatGPT and other large language models (LLMs), more people are finding answers through AI-driven platforms... bypassing Google altogether. This trend reinforces the need for clear, valuable content on your site that AI tools can reference.

• Website personalisation - While not driven by AI just yet in our implementation, Umbraco Engage (which we offer) enables advanced personalisation. It lets you show different content or layouts depending on user type or behaviour. It’s a powerful tool and available through a monthly licence... feel free to ask us for a demo.

• Changing SEO landscape - AI is also influencing how search engines present information. Increasingly, answers are shown directly within search results, which could reduce site visits. Think about that time you used to go to a website to check the time in different countries. Can't remember? It is likely because you now accustomed Google providing the answer.

• AI-assisted accessibility- Tools powered by AI can now generate alt text, flag inaccessible content, or adjust readability automatically. These technologies can support better accessibility. As per though, never just rely on software and educate yourselves on the best practices via Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.2 

Medium-Term: one to five years

Looking slightly ahead, but not too far, AI will begin to play a more prominent role in how users interact with websites:

• Smarter forms- AI could help users express their needs more clearly by interpreting natural language into structured input... particularly useful for those who struggle to fill in traditional forms. Think about the times when you've tried to understand a person without the context or information you need... this shouldn't happen any more.

• Real-time personalisation -Expect websites to dynamically adjust layouts, content, and calls-to-action based on real-time behaviour, returning user profiles, and contextual signals.

• Intelligent virtual assistants
  AI chatbots will become more advanced, evolving into virtual assistants that guide users through a website—helping with everything from making bookings to offering personalised recommendations.

Long-Term: five years +

Looking further ahead, the traditional structure of websites as we know them may evolve dramatically:

• AI-driven interfaces- Imagine a future where users don’t need to click through menus or multiple pages. Instead, a single AI-powered interface could respond to a user’s query and surface all the information they need—fast, personalised, and intuitive.

This vision of the future is closer than we might think, and it’s worth starting the conversation now about how AI can fit into your organisation’s digital strategy. Contact us to know how we may be able to help you.