Web development is a complex part of the digital world that takes care of the component that each of us faces every day. When done correctly, it delivers outstanding results, high conversion, a great return on investment, and breathtaking performance with even more pleasing visuals.
Web development is usually associated with web design, but in reality, it is part of almost every modern software product. With the proliferation of cloud computing and client services that run in a web browser, it is common to include a web design component. Web design is also the final stage of UX design, where the web developer must use all the fancy mockups and deliver a functional web service.
As this is an interdisciplinary and sophisticated field at the intersection of UX, graphic design, and coding, it doesn't seem easy to scale or automate web development. One option is to use an automated generator similar to Wix or Web wave, but there are more concerns about SEO or the limited capabilities of this type of tool.
One of the most promising ways to increase web developers' struggle and web development is probably artificial intelligence, and the future is in AI-based web development.
What is artificial intelligence?
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is generally considered a toy of tech giants or a startup fixation that requires enormous amounts of data to achieve results. What's more, the technology behind them can be considered mysterious and nebulous - no one knows precisely how a particular neural network makes decisions.
Moreover, popular culture offers many interpretations and visions of a future dominated by artificial intelligence. Concepts range from apocalyptic to dystopian, with minimal or no optimistic images.
However, the engineer behind a modern solution using artificial intelligence can see that artificial intelligence and machine learning are nothing more than another tool to be used, no more miraculous, mysterious, or evil than its creator wants to make it, with all the limitations of a computer program.
The most popular paradigm of modern artificial intelligence is machine learning. This technique teaches a computer to perform a task not by writing code but by providing it with an algorithm and data to learn the desired result.
A good example is computer vision - after chewing through thousands of pictures of cats, the program can recognize the cat in the photo. But that's just one example - the idea of teaching a computer to perform tasks instead of giving it yes/no instructions is revolutionary because it allows machines to solve problems that were previously intractable for them.
The impact of AI is already evident in the business world. Gartner estimates that by 2020, up to 80% of new technologies will base on AI. Today, more than a third (37% to be precise) of organizations have already implemented some form of AI.
How is machine learning used in software development?
However, there is a significant gap between the statistics or reports produced by consultants and the actual day-to-day activities carried out in countless companies worldwide. Including the one you work for or own. How can this innovative technology provider web development?
1| Customer Behavior analysis
It is where artificial intelligence shines - analyzing customer behavior and providing automated, meaningful reports that better suit business needs. AI-powered tools can dive deep enough into data to uncover insights that even the most skilled and experienced human analysts would easily overlook. The challenge is the increasing amount of data that needs to be processed and the complexity of the processes that need to be analyzed.
Thanks to AI-powered tools, website developers can gain all the information they need about users' habits and expectations of the service. In addition, analytical tools with AI provide information much faster, even in real-time.
Finally, analytics software can reveal patterns of behavior that can be harnessed and used in day-to-day operations. But, again, the examples are endless, depending on the industry, the size of the website, and the sales funnel that supports it.
2| Automation of tasks given to developers
Coding is undoubtedly creative work. But as well as providing intelligent technology and solutions, it's full of repetitive, tedious, and usually, just plain boring tasks that need to done to get the project done - but these are tasks that no developer likes.
Sometimes it's about delivering a block of code or improving the quality of a solution. Other times, it's about finding a few minor improvements in the system to enhance product performance or quality. Finally, it's looking for code that slows down a service or crashes software. Modern software development materials automate these functions to some extent, but the real revolution is yet to come.
The main conclusion: AI-based software development kits and environments are just around the corner. There are AI-based automatic suggestion engines (e.g., Tabnine) which, according to Idea Active users, will significantly increase coding speed. The technology increases the productivity of the coder and reduces the time needed to complete a project. In the longer term, it is possible to support developers and design the service to meet business needs better.
3| Automated testing and quality assurance
Last but not least, the never-ending pain of testing and QA is probably the most frustrating and annoying element of any software project. Quality assurance can take all the fun out of even the most exciting project, but it is also unlikely to be done well enough. It's common for even the best games and leading business software to having flaws - not to mention the occasional critical vulnerability in Windows or critical bugs.
Automated, AI-driven testing doesn't make all existing software bug-free, nor does it eliminate the need to assign QA teams to test every new component. But by reducing the time spent on basic testing, the team can go hunting for more complex and hidden bugs. For games, the result is a better, more engaging, and more complete experience. When it comes to business software, it ends up on more reliable platforms with fewer crashes and better value for money.
Key takeaway: Few things are more annoying than troubleshooting, especially for extensive services with complex front ends and complex operations support. Releasing software without extensive testing is business suicide, resulting in mass customer outrage. On the other hand - prolonged testing slows down delivery and results in nice customer resentment. Artificial intelligence can significantly support this process.
4| Web improvements on the move online
Artificial intelligence is not particularly capable of processing vast amounts of data but also does it quickly. Fast enough to provide real-time answers to many questions. In the case of web development, these questions are usually related to optimization and UX. Examples include:
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Which color best suits the visitor's taste?
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What categories is the visitor looking for?
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Which elements of the website will irritate them?
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How can we maximize the conversion of this individual visitor? Is it a one-time buyer or a potential long-term customer?
The possibilities are endless because there are endless ways to optimize UX and conversions. The point is that all the work is automated and happens in real-time.
The main conclusion: all the madness around A/B testing and continuous optimization can be complemented and improved by machine learning-based techniques. Providing AI-based frameworks that build the desired website or service on the fly is probably only a matter of time.
On the other hand, it will cripple even the most prominent company if its web development is not good enough to support its marketing efforts. However, AI is ready to support web development efforts today, with even more excellent prospects for future growth prospects. If you are looking for a web developer there are many web development companies in India that help you improving your buisness.