The 'AI-Generated' Aesthetic: Why AI-Created Sites All Look the Same (And How to Avoid It)

Reading time: 8 minutes

---

If you've recently asked an AI to create a website for you, you've probably gotten something that looks oddly like... every other AI-created site. Purple-blue gradient, glassmorphism, perfectly regular spacing, and that je-ne-sais-quoi that screams "automatically generated".

But here's where it gets interesting: give that same AI a screenshot of an existing design, and suddenly, the result changes completely. More unique, more human, more... design.

I've spent the last few months analyzing this phenomenon, and what I found changes completely how we should use AI for web design.

The Problem: Aesthetic Uniformization

The AI Site "Starter Pack"

You've seen them. Those sites that all share the same visual DNA:

Colors

• Violet → blue gradients (or pink → orange variant)
• Ultra-saturated palette from Tailwind or Material Design
• Deep black (#0f0f0f) and pure white, rarely nuances

Effects

• Glassmorphism everywhere
• Blur backdrop-filter on every card
• Soft and predictable box-shadows
• Subtle borders in rgba(255,255,255,0.1)

Layout

• Centered Hero section with purple CTA
• "Features" section in 3-column grid
• Perfectly aligned Cards
• Ultra-regular spacing (multiples of 8px religiously respected)

Typography

• Inter or Poppins (90% of cases)
• Weights: 400, 600, 700
• Line-height exactly 1.5
• Minimal letter-spacing

It's not bad design per se. It's just... predictable. Generic. Soulless.

Why This Uniformity?

The answer lies in three words: optimization for the average.

When you ask an AI to create a website without reference, here's what happens behind the scenes:

1. Pattern matching: The AI scans its training data to identify the most frequent patterns
2. Safe choices: It prioritizes choices that "work" statistically (blue = trust, purple = innovation)
3. Risk avoidance: Without creative constraints, it takes no aesthetic risks

The result? A design that is the weighted average of millions of websites. Technically correct, but creatively dead.

The Experiment: Two Approaches, Two Results

Test 1: The Generic Request

Prompt: "Create a modern website for a SaaS startup"

Result obtained:

• Purple-blue gradient background
• Hero section with "Transform Your Business" (or variant)
• Three feature cards with glassmorphism icons
• CTA button in purple with hover effect
• Minimalist footer

Creation time: 30 seconds Originality: 0/10 Usability: 7/10

Test 2: With Visual Reference

Prompt: "Here is a screenshot of a design I like [image of a site with terracotta/beige palette, asymmetric layout, serif typo]. Reproduce this style."

Result obtained:

• Warm palette preserved
• Asymmetric layout respected
• Serif typography maintained
• Unique visual details kept
• Personnel of original design intact

Creation time: 45 seconds Originality: 8/10 Fidelity to reference: 9/10

The Key Difference: Constraints

Without constraints, AI generates. With constraints, AI implements.

And that is all the difference between a generic template and a unique design.

Why It Works: The Psychology of Generative AI

The "Generation" Mode

When AI operates in pure generation mode:

• It relies on probabilities from its data
• It favors "safe" combinations
• It avoids choices that might be poorly received
• It optimizes for consistency rather than originality

It's like asking someone to "draw a house" without further instruction. You'll get a square with a triangle on top (the roof), two windows, and a door. Technically a house, but not architecturally interesting.

The "Implementation" Mode

With a visual reference, AI switches modes:

• It analyzes concrete constraints (precise hex colors)
• It identifies specific patterns (custom spacing)
• It preserves creative choices (intentional asymmetries)
• It reproduces rather than invents

Human details are preserved: that slight asymmetry in the layout, that bold palette choice, that counter-intuitive but effective visual hierarchy.

Implications for Design

What It Means for Designers

Good news: AI does not (yet) replace human creativity

The creative process remains deeply human:

• Ideation
• Bold aesthetic choices
• Balance between trend and timelessness
• Understanding brand psychology

Bad news: Pure implementation becomes commoditized

If your added value is solely translating a mockup into HTML/CSS code, your position becomes fragile. AI already excels at this task.

What It Means for Developers

The new workflow:

1. Designer (human) creates mockup or visual direction
2. Detailed brief or visual reference communicated to AI
3. AI generates implementation code
4. Developer refines, optimizes, and integrates

The developer becomes supervisor and optimizer rather than pure implementer.

What It Means for Companies

The trap to avoid: Asking AI to "do the design"

Guaranteed result: a site that looks like all the others. In a saturated market, visual uniformity is a competitive disadvantage.

The right approach: Invest in creative direction

1. Hire/consult a real designer for the creative phase
2. Create mockups or a design system
3. Use AI to accelerate implementation
4. Keep the human in the loop for creative QA

Practical Guide: How to Use AI Effectively for Design

Strategy 1: Always Start from a Reference

Never do:

"Create a website for my business"

Do instead:

"Here are 3 screenshots of sites I like [images].
Create a site that converts the asymmetric layout of the first,
the color palette of the second, and the typography of the third."

Strategy 2: Ultra-Detailed Briefs

If you don't have a visual reference, compensate with precise constraints:

Generic brief (bad):

"A modern and professional site"

Detailed brief (good):

"Style: Modern Brutalism Palette: #E07A5F, #3D405B, #F2CC8F, #81B29A Typo: Space Grotesk for titles, IBM Plex Mono for body Layout: Asymetric, intentionally misaligned grid Mood: Raw, authentic, anti-corporate References: brutalistwebsites.com, swissdesignawards.ch"

Strategy 3: Guided Iteration

Use AI as a collaborator, not an autonomous creator:

1. Initial prompt with clear constraints
2. Evaluation of first result
3. Precise feedback: "Spacing is too regular, add variation"
4. Iteration until satisfaction
5. Manual polishing for fine details

Strategy 4: Create Your Own Design System

Develop a design system that captures your brand identity:

• Precise color palette (hex codes)
• Typographies with their usages
• Spacing rules (which can be irregular!)
• UI components with their variants
• Tone and atmosphere guidelines

Then, reference this design system in your prompts to the AI.

Current (And Future) Limits of AI

What AI Cannot Do (Yet)

Understand brand context

• AI doesn't know your legal startup needs to inspire trust
• It doesn't understand your fashion brand needs to be disruptive
• It doesn't perceive cultural nuances of your audience

Take calculated creative risks

• AI won't spontaneously propose brutalisme for a corporate site
• It won't dare a monochrome palette for a children's toy site
• It won't suggest deliberately breaking the grid

Create a visual identity from scratch

• AI combines, it doesn't create (in the creative sense)
• It lacks the "spark" that makes a design iconic
• It has no intuition on what will be trendy in 6 months

Probable Evolution

Short term (6-12 months):

• Better understanding of text briefs
• Ability to analyze and reproduce design systems
• Native integration with Figma/design tools

Medium term (1-3 years):

• Generation of bolder creative variations
• Understanding of brand context via RAG
• Automatic adaptation to current trends

Long term (3-5 years+):

• AI capable of proposing original creative directions
• More fluid designer-AI collaboration
• But creative strategy will remain human

Concrete Examples: Before/After

Case 1: Fashion E-commerce Site

Classic AI Approach:

• Purple-blue gradient
• Product cards in perfect grid
• "Shop Now" button purple
• ➜ Looks like every default Shopify site

With creative direction:

• Black & white palette with blood red accents
• Irregular bento-box layout
• Condensed bold typo
• Editorial/magazine mood
• ➜ Stands out instantly

Case 2: Developer Portfolio

Classic AI Approach:

• Dark background with subtle gradient
• Centered vertical timeline
• Project cards with hover effects
• ➜ Portfolio #8374 identical to others

With creative direction:

• Inspired by 90s terminals
• Monospace typo, green/black palette
• ASCII art animations
• CLI-style navigation
• ➜ Strong personality, memorable

Advice According to Your Profile

For Designers

✅ To do:

• Use AI to rapidly prototype your ideas
• Create first in Figma, then let AI implement
• Keep control over creative direction
• Use AI for A/B variations

❌ To avoid:

• Delegating the creative phase to AI
• Accepting the first result without iteration
• Ignoring the acceleration opportunity AI offers

For Developers

✅ To do:

• Learn to write precise prompts for design
• Create reusable design systems
• Use AI for boilerplate, focus on optimization
• Collaborate closely with designers

❌ To avoid:

• Thinking AI replaces the need for CSS skills
• Copy-pasting AI code without understanding it
• Neglecting performance and accessibility

For Entrepreneurs/Product Owners

✅ To do:

• Invest in at least a few hours of design consulting
• Create moodboards and references before touching AI
• Ask for iterations until you have something unique
• Test with real users

❌ To avoid:

• Thinking AI = free quality design
• Launching a site that looks like all the others
• Neglecting your brand identity

The Future of Web Design

The New Paradigm

We are entering an era where:

Technique is commoditized

• Anyone can have a technically correct site
• HTML/CSS code becomes a commodity
• Basic accessibility and performance are guaranteed

Creativity becomes the differentiator

• Visual originality is worth more than ever
• Strong brand identity is crucial
• Creative details make the difference

The workflow transforms

• Design: 80% human, 20% IA (variant generation)
• Implementation: 20% human, 80% AI
• QA: 50/50 (AI for bugs, human for creativity)

Skills That Matter

In 2024-2025, designers who succeed:

• Have a strong visual signature
• Know how to use AI as a tool, not a crutch
• Understand brand psychology
• Dare to take creative risks

Developers who thrive:

• Master architecture and performance
• Know how to write precise prompts
• Understand design principles
• Focus on user experience

Conclusion: Human Creativity + AI Execution

The observation that triggered this article is simple: AI-created sites look alike because we let AI create instead of just execute.

The solution is not to reject AI, but to redefine its role:

• AI is an execution tool, not a creation tool
• The designer remains the creative director
• Constraints are essential to obtain originality

The future of web design is not:

• ❌ Designers vs AI
• ❌ All AI or nothing AI

The future of web design is:

• ✅ Human creativity + AI execution
• ✅ Human vision + machine speed
• ✅ Creative intuition + implementation capacity

The next time you ask an AI to create a website, ask yourself: are you asking it to create or to execute your vision?

The difference between these two approaches is the difference between a site that blends into the mass and a site that stands out.

---

Key Takeaways:

1. AI sites look alike because they optimize for the average
2. With a visual reference, AI preserves your unique creativity
3. Never delegate the creative phase to AI
4. Use precise constraints or visual references
5. AI excels at executing a vision, not creating one
6. Human design + AI implementation = the best of both worlds

Next Steps:

• Create a moodboard of sites you like
• Define your precise color palette (hex codes)
• Choose your typographies with intention
• Use AI with clear constraints
• Iterate until you have something unique

The era of generic sites is over. Make way for human creativity augmented by AI.