AI is everywhere and now it even builds websites. Mixo is an example of the potential for great websites… and the pitfalls of trusting AI blindly!

The VirtuPro company which website frontpage we show on the opening of this article, does not exist. The company name, as well as the webpage shown were created by Artificial Intelligence in seconds, after I wrote my request to the AI builder: a virtual production company for filmmakers on a budget.

In a matter of seconds AI took care of everything and created the company name, the logo, the content for my website and, unbelievably, even the comments from clients/users, like a Chloe Lia, probably a filmmaker, that said: “VirtuPro has revolutionized the way I approach indie filmmaking.” It all looks great, even if I know that those user comments are fake. But whoever looks at the final website will never know, so who cares?

Yes, it sounds fantastic, and the content surely sells the idea. Catch phrases as “Cut costs without sacrificing quality. VirtuPro provides affordable solutions for indie filmmakers to create cinematic worlds without expensive physical sets or location shoots.” or  “Increase creativity and control. With VirtuPro, indie filmmakers can have more control over their vision and be more creative with their storytelling by utilizing a variety of virtual production tools.” are bound to attract clients.

Finally, there is the comment from Alice Miles, near the bottom of the page, stating “I would highly recommend VirtuPro to any indie filmmaker looking to elevate their craft.” It’s all fake, but who cares?

AI generates a website content in seconds

VirtuPro was created using Mixo, introduced as a powerful website builder. When I first heard of it, Mixo appeared to be the tool to save me time! I’ve been trying to rebuild my website since the worst of the pandemic is gone and I’ve not had the patience to deal with either Joomla, which I’ve used since 2008, or WordPress. I want something easier, as I want to build a clean and simple website… so Mixo sounded like a solution.

According to the people behind Mixo, “With just a brief description of your idea, Mixo will generate your entire website content in seconds. Start collecting subscribers with stunning landing pages that require no code or design. Get started with a built-in email waiting list plus everything you need to launch, grow and test your ideas.”

The creators of Mixo  say this is the ideal tool to “Launch a startup in seconds with AI” and continue saying this: “Have an idea for a startup, product or service? Our AI-powered builder helps entrepreneurs quickly launch and validate their business ideas.”

“Errare humanum est”, even for AI

Mixo surely builds websites in the blink of an eye. So, I decided to ask for a website to promote my flower photography workshops and tours and what I got is a website named  BlossomSnap, a name that totally contradicts my idea that flower photography is a long and laborious process. But the website follows the same logic as the VirtuPro, with the same style of catch phrases. Example: “Networking opportunities. Our workshops and tours also offer the opportunity to connect with other like-minded individuals and potentially create long-lasting professional relationships within the industry.” Or “Expert guidance. Our experienced instructors and guides will help you unlock the full potential of your camera and teach you the best techniques for capturing the beauty of flowers.”

The AI built website even has a comment from a client, William White, stating that “The BlossomSnap workshop was not only educational, but inspiring. I learned so much from the instructors and met so many talented photographers.” One thing did puzzle me, though: a last comment on the page, from Mariana Sinistra, states: “NatureLens provided the perfect opportunity to explore and photograph the natural beauty of flowers in an unspoiled environment. Highly recommend it.” NatureLens? Wasn’t the site supposed to be named BlossomSnap? Well, I guess “errare humanum est”, even for AI…

A company of thieves

Mixo will build your website, no doubt, but it’s not perfect, even with AI helping. But the editor in the back office can help you to adjust your content to really reflect what your website is all about. And for people who are not familiar with software/platforms as Joomla or WordPress or even Weebly, the jumpstart that AI provides may be a welcome push in the right direction. But it’s not perfect and an old saying fits here: garbage in garbage out.

I’ve written here at ProVideo Coalition, in a previous story, that AI is agnostic, showing how a tool built to create images of dishes for restaurants also creates other types of images (which demo, BTW, has been broken for a while). I could not resist to ask Mixo to build a website for a company of thieves, and the results will make you smile: I got a website named FieldThief which is like the other two test websites – the logic “one size fits all” is true here – I asked Mixo to create, but adapted to the… type of business.

Catch phrases as “Hire the best team of professional thieves to get the job done in the field.” or “Our team of experienced professionals will help you plan and execute your heist with care.” confirm that AI will also work on the wrong side of the law. It’s reassuring, though, to get happy clients, like Allan Pickleton, stating that “The FieldThief crew got the job done without any issues or hiccups. They’re experts who know what they’re doing.”

One last note: you really should try Mixo. It’s an experience that shows how far we’ve come in terms of website building. It’s not perfect, but it’s a viable solution to help you have a website ready in minutes, especially if you don’t know where to start. It’s a bit like the NVIDIA Canvas, helping you to give shape to your ideas. But, please, don’t just publish it after the AI sets all the content and “testimonials” of your clients.

I don’t believe the test websites I created will be up for long, but here are the links if you want to check them yourself:

BlossomSnap

https://www.mixo.io/site/blossom-snap-u42od/index.html

VirtuPro

https://www.mixo.io/site/virtu-pro-bad44/index.html

FieldThief

https://www.mixo.io/site/field-thief-ci2v7/index.html