AI moves by traditional website builders in 2025 (and what to expect in 2026)

2025 was the year “AI in website builders” stopped being just a copy generator and became a workflow layer:

• From prompt → first draft website/store (structure, sections, images, basic copy)

• From editing → assisted building (generate/modify sections that match the design system)

• From publishing → operating (email campaigns, SEO/AEO suggestions, “AI visibility” scanning, commerce + shopping-agent readiness)

Below is a platform-by-platform breakdown (Wix, Squarespace, Webflow, Shopify, GoDaddy, WordPress.com, Hostinger), then the 2026 expectations.

The 6 AI “themes” that defined 2025

1) Prompt-to-site (or prompt-to-store) became a default on-ramp

Most builders pushed an “AI starter experience” that creates a usable first version fast:

• Squarespace positioned Blueprint AI as a fast way to generate personalized design options. (Squarespace)

• Webflow introduced an AI Site Builder experience to go from “zero to website” faster. (Webflow)

• Shopify launched AI Store Builder that generates complete store layouts from keywords. (Reuters)

• WordPress.com launched an AI Website Builder that generates layouts/content quickly. (WordPress.com)

• Wix continued pushing its AI Website Builder as the “start here” path. (wix.com)

What changed in 2025: the “draft” got closer to publishable—less blank template, more filled structure.

2) In-editor AI assistants started shaping layout (not just text)

AI moved into the editor to generate/modify sections and pages in context:

• Webflow’s AI Assistant can generate new sections using an existing design system (public beta). (Webflow Help Center)

• Wix expanded “assistant” ideas into more areas (including developer-side help in the Wix IDE). (dev.wix.com)

3) AI shifted from “site building” to “site running”

Builders used AI to help with ongoing operations:

• Wix added an AI-powered email marketing assistant that helps draft campaigns. (wix.com)

• Squarespace positioned Beacon AI as an “AI business partner” to guide setup and ongoing tasks. (Squarespace)

4) SEO expanded into AEO (Answer Engine Optimization)

2025 was the first time major builders started explicitly talking about optimizing for AI answer engines (not only Google):

• Webflow highlights AI-driven suggestions for SEO and AEO. (Webflow)

• Squarespace announced an “AIO Scanner” to track mentions across AI platforms and recommend visibility improvements. (Squarespace)

5) Commerce AI got “agent-ready”

Ecommerce platforms pushed AI beyond copy into shopping flows and AI channel presence:

• Shopify’s AI Store Builder reduced time-to-launch for stores. (Reuters)

• Shopify also talked about enabling AI shopping agents and new AI-era channels. (Shopify)

• More recently, Shopify introduced “agentic storefronts” to help brands manage how they show up on AI platforms. (Vogue)

6) “AI everywhere” became a strategy signal

Even platform org decisions were framed around moving faster in an AI-driven market (a sign of how central AI became to roadmaps). (The Economic Times)

What each major builder did in 2025

Wix (website builder + business suite)

2025 direction: AI across the full small-business stack (site → marketing → dev tools).

Key moves:

• Continued pushing the AI Website Builder as the fastest way to generate a site foundation. (wix.com)

• Added AI Email Assistant to help create email campaigns inside Wix’s marketing tools. (wix.com)

• Strengthened the “power user” side with a Wix IDE AI Assistant for coding help in Velo/dev workflows. (dev.wix.com)

Takeaway: Wix leaned into “AI as your built-in marketer + builder + helper,” not only “AI writes copy.”

Squarespace (design-led builder)

2025 direction: design + brand experience, with AI used to accelerate setup and content/ops.

Key moves:

• Expanded Blueprint AI as the AI website builder experience. (Squarespace)

• Released Squarespace GPT (a ChatGPT-based entry into starting a site via chat, connected to Blueprint AI). (Squarespace)

• Introduced/marketed Beacon AI as an assistant across the platform, plus an AIO Scanner for AI-platform visibility. (Squarespace)

• Documented AI use across content generation and campaigns (including Beacon AI templates for email). (support.squarespace.com)

Takeaway: Squarespace is positioning AI as “help me build a brand that looks premium fast,” and “help me show up in AI-driven discovery.”

Webflow (pro builder / visual dev)

2025 direction: AI-native building for pros—sections, pages, design systems, and even code components.

Key moves:

• Introduced Webflow AI Site Builder (beta) as a prompt-to-site on-ramp. (Webflow)

• Added AI Assistant workflows to generate/modify sections aligned to your design system (public beta). (Webflow Help Center)

• Positioned Webflow AI as spanning build/manage/optimize, including SEO + AEO improvements. (Webflow)

Takeaway: Webflow’s bet is “AI that respects systems” (design systems + structure), not random one-off generations.

Shopify (commerce platform)

2025 direction: compress time-to-launch, then make stores “AI shopping ready.”

Key moves:

• Launched AI Store Builder (keyword → store layouts with images/text). (Reuters)

• Continued rolling out Shopify Magic and broader AI initiatives (including shopping-agent discussion). (Shopify)

• Announced agentic storefronts to manage presence across AI shopping/chat platforms and track attribution. (Vogue)

Takeaway: Shopify is aiming for a world where the storefront isn’t just a website—it’s a product feed + brand layer for AI agents.

GoDaddy (domains-first SMB platform)

2025 direction: “agentic AI” for small businesses—domain → brand → site → tasks.

Key moves:

• Launched Airo.ai (beta) described as an agentic AI experience that turns conversation into completed tasks. (GoDaddy)

Takeaway: GoDaddy is trying to win the “start a business online” moment by making the domain purchase instantly lead into an AI-built presence.

WordPress.com (hosted WordPress)

2025 direction: faster time-to-first-site on WordPress.com, including agency workflows.

Key moves:

• Launched WordPress.com AI Website Builder (instant layouts, content, images). (WordPress.com)

• Pushed an agency angle (“generate content-ready sites fast” for pitching/POCs). (Automattic)

Takeaway: WordPress.com is defending the “most flexible ecosystem” with a faster AI start, while still leaning on WordPress extensibility.

Hostinger (builder + hosting ecosystem)

2025 direction: AI website building packaged with hosting, plus more compatibility with common workflows.

Key moves:

• Expanded AI Website Builder for WordPress to support Elementor (beyond Gutenberg), so users can AI-generate then customize with a familiar editor. (Hostinger)

Takeaway: Hostinger is targeting cost-conscious SMBs who want “AI speed + familiar editing.”

What we should expect in 2026

These are the most likely next steps, based on where 2025 landed:

1) “Agentic” workflows become real (multi-step, cross-tool execution)

Builders will move from “generate a page” to “achieve a goal”:

• “Launch a service page, add FAQ schema, create an email promo, schedule social posts, and track conversions.”

You can already see the positioning:

• GoDaddy explicitly pitching agentic AI. (GoDaddy)

• Squarespace Beacon AI framed as a platform-wide business partner. (Squarespace)

• Shopify focusing on AI-era channels and storefront representation. (Vogue)

2) AEO becomes a default dashboard metric

Expect more “AI visibility” panels:

• track where/when you appear in AI answers

• recommend structured data, content updates, product feed improvements

Signals are already clear:

• Webflow calling out AEO explicitly. (Webflow)

• Squarespace launching AIO Scanner. (Squarespace)

3) Personalization + auto-experiments for conversion

In 2026, AI won’t just suggest copy—builders will increasingly:

• generate variant sections (headline/hero/CTA)

• run simple tests

• recommend a winner for your goal (lead vs sale vs booking)

4) “AI-safe” brand systems (voice, claims, legal, consistency)

The more AI writes, the more platforms will add guardrails:

• brand voice locking

• claims/policy checks (especially for health/finance)

• citations/source prompts for factual content

• reusable “approved snippets” libraries

5) Deeper “pro” features: components, code, and structured content

Webflow is already pointing toward AI that can help generate code components and web apps. (Webflow)
Expect that direction across pro tools: AI-generated components that still compile into clean, editable systems.

What this means for businesses (and when you still want custom work)

AI builders are getting extremely good at version 1. But most serious businesses still hit the same ceiling:

• performance tuning (Core Web Vitals)

• custom UX that fits a real funnel (not template UX)

• SEO/AEO strategy beyond basics

• integrations (CRM, analytics, tracking, automation, inventory/ERP)

• structured data + multilingual + programmatic landing pages

• complex migrations (Squarespace/Wix → custom or Shopify, etc.)

Practical rule for 2026:
Use AI to generate the first draft fast, then invest in expert refinement where it impacts revenue (speed, conversion, tracking, and visibility).