The collapse of web coding gigs is getting ugly — AI takes over routine website development jobs, and business owners are very happy with its job so far

AI now handles website creation for 53% of surveyed entrepreneurs Business owners saved $850 and 32 hours using AI tools Website design job postings have fallen 59% since early 2024 Freelance website development opportunities have fallen sharply since 2024, while an increasing number of American ent

<![CDATA[ <article> <ul><li><strong>AI now handles website creation for 53% of surveyed entrepreneurs</strong></li><li><strong>Business owners saved $850 and 32 hours using AI tools</strong></li><li><strong>Website design job postings have fallen 59% since early 2024</strong></li></ul><p>Freelance website development opportunities have fallen sharply since 2024, while an increasing number of American entrepreneurs are using artificial intelligence to create websites independently.</p><p>Research commissioned by <a href="https://www.bluehost.com/blog/how-small-businesses-are-using-ai-to-get-online/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Bluehost</a> found that 53% of surveyed business owners had adopted AI <a href="https://www.techradar.com/news/the-best-website-builder">website builders</a> rather than relying on professional developers.</p><p>The findings coincide with substantial declines in freelance programming advertisements, particularly in website design, PHP, WordPress, and HTML development.</p><h2 id="website-development-vacancies-fall-by-nearly-60">Website development vacancies fall by nearly 60%</h2><p>The Bluehost survey questioned 201 American entrepreneurs involved in decisions concerning their companies' online operations.</p><p>Among respondents adopting AI website generators, 85% indicated that their websites would have been developed differently without access to these technologies.</p><p>Participants reported average savings of $850 and approximately 32 working hours compared with commissioning developers or agencies to complete equivalent projects.</p><p>However, <a href="https://www.techradar.com/web-hosting/best-web-hosting-service-websites">website hosting</a> and domain setup remained tasks that respondents were reluctant to delegate to AI, with 21% identifying these among the least likely to be outsourced.</p><p>Previously, 34% identified insufficient time as an obstacle to launching websites, while 28% cited limitations in their technical knowledge.</p><p>Even among respondents who had avoided AI website generators, 71% expressed willingness to consider these technologies for future website development projects.</p><p>Historical recruitment figures on Freelancer.com indicate that website design advertisements declined 59% between the second quarter of 2024 and the third quarter of 2026.</p><p>PHP opportunities experienced an identical 59% reduction, while WordPress assignments decreased 58%, followed by HTML programming vacancies with a 55% decline.</p><p>These reductions exceeded those recorded across certain other freelance categories, suggesting that website development assignments have experienced particularly substantial pressure.</p><p>Graphic design advertisements decreased 43% during the corresponding period, whereas data entry opportunities increased 16%, despite their exposure to automation technologies.</p><p>However, these figures cover one freelance marketplace and cannot confirm that the adoption of <a href="https://www.techradar.com/best/best-ai-tools">AI tools</a> directly caused the reduction in advertised programming jobs.</p><h2 id="business-owners-increasingly-manage-websites-without-developers">Business owners increasingly manage websites without developers</h2><p>Business owners reported considerable satisfaction with AI websites, with 72% expressing strong approval and 97% reporting at least moderate satisfaction.</p><p>Nevertheless, just 9% published their websites without modifying the initial AI output, indicating continued involvement in reviewing and adjusting generated material.</p><p>Content revisions were undertaken by 61% of respondents, while 60% modified visual elements before making their websites accessible to customers online.</p><p>Following publication, 94% continued employing AI technologies for business activities, extending their use beyond the initial website development process itself.</p><p>Among these respondents, 34% reported increased visitor numbers, while 31% experienced improvements in sales or revenue after adopting AI assistance.</p><p>However, 54% preferred reviewing every proposed website modification, compared with 30% who were comfortable allowing AI to operate independently without approval.</p><p>Only 50% expressed willingness to disclose their websites' AI origins to customers, indicating reservations despite generally favourable assessments of the technology.</p><p>The survey's relatively small sample also limits generalisation, with adoption estimates carrying approximately 6.9 percentage points of uncertainty at 95% confidence.</p><p>Although freelance advertisements have declined considerably, the evidence does not establish an equivalent collapse in employment across the entire website development industry.</p><figure class="van-image-figure inline-layout" data-bordeaux-image-check ><div class='image-full-width-wrapper'><div class='image-widthsetter' style="max-width:676px;"><p class="vanilla-image-block" 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