AI is everywhere. But does it belong everywhere?

Over the past few years, artificial intelligence (AI) has gone from buzzword to business essential—or at least, that’s what the hype would have you believe. From predictive algorithms to AI-generated content, companies of all sizes are exploring how AI can be integrated into their processes, products, and platforms.

At our agency, we design and develop websites and applications for a wide range of clients. And increasingly, we’re being asked:

“Can you add AI to this?”

The answer is often: Yes, we can. But the more important question is: Should we?

The Pressure to ‘Use AI’

It’s easy to feel like you’re being left behind if your competitors are using AI. But implementing AI for the sake of appearances often creates more complexity than value. We’ve seen too many projects weighed down with unnecessary tools or features simply because they’re labelled “AI-powered.”

Not every business process needs automation. Not every user experience benefits from a chatbot. And not every website visitor wants content that’s clearly been machine-written.

Where AI Does Belong

That said, AI can be genuinely transformative—when used appropriately. We regularly use it to:

• Speed up development and testing – AI helps us write and refactor code more efficiently, identify bugs early, and run smarter tests. This leads to better outcomes and faster turnaround times for our clients.
• Automate repetitive tasks – From data entry to tagging content, AI can save teams time and reduce human error.
• Improve search and recommendations – In the right context, AI can deliver more relevant results and content, enhancing the user journey.
• Support accessibility and user experience – Features such as text-to-speech, voice interfaces, or predictive navigation can make platforms more inclusive and easier to use.

In all of these scenarios, AI is supporting the objective, not becoming the objective.

When We Say No

We’ve turned down AI features when:

• They would add unnecessary complexity or cost.
• There’s no clear benefit to the client or their customers.
• The data available isn’t reliable or robust enough.
• A human-led process is more appropriate or more effective.

It’s not because we’re anti-AI. It’s because we’re pro-simplicity, pro-user, and pro-results.

Our Approach

When clients ask us about AI, we don’t start with the technology—we start with their business goals. What are you trying to streamline, automate, or enhance? If AI can help, we’ll suggest the right solution. If it doesn’t offer real value, we won’t recommend it.

We believe in building with purpose. And sometimes, the smartest move is to avoid AI—because often, the simplest solution is also the most effective.