AI is changing how corporate websites are built, structured and consumed.
For years, organisations designed digital experiences around human visitors. Today, there is a second audience to consider: AI systems. Search engines, AI assistants and large language models are increasingly interpreting, summarising and recommending website content before a human ever visits the site.
This shift is creating a new challenge for digital teams. How do you create content and experiences that work effectively for both people and AI?
The reality is that AI is not replacing the need for great digital experiences. It is changing how those experiences are designed, structured and delivered.
The impact of AI can already be seen in website behaviour.
Our Digital Index analysis shows that compared with the previous year, websites are experiencing:
These trends suggest something important is happening.
Fewer people are arriving on corporate websites, but those who do visit are spending more time, viewing more content and engaging more deeply. In other words, AI is reducing some discovery and information-gathering visits, while increasing the quality of the remaining audience.
Many basic questions that would previously have led someone to visit a website are now being answered directly within AI search tools. Visitors are increasingly arriving with greater intent, looking to validate information, explore topics in more depth or complete a specific task.
This changes the role of the corporate website. It is no longer simply a destination. It is becoming both a source of information for AI systems and a richer engagement platform for human audiences.
One of the most common questions organisations ask is whether content should be written for people or AI.
The answer is both.
Fortunately, what works well for AI frequently aligns with what works well for humans.
AI systems are designed to interpret content in ways that mirror how people consume information. They favour clear language, concise explanations, logical structure and direct answers to questions. Most users appreciate these same characteristics.
Content that performs well today typically:
Rather than requiring a completely new approach to content creation, AI is encouraging organisations to adopt content practices that also improve usability.
The challenge is not choosing between humans and AI. It is creating experiences that serve both audiences simultaneously.
Perhaps the biggest impact AI is having on the creative process is how content is developed and presented.
Historically, many corporate websites relied on long-form narrative content, dense paragraphs and complex reporting structures.
Today, content increasingly needs to be more explicit and easier to interpret.
This does not mean simplifying important information. It means making it easier to understand.
Content teams are introducing clearer headings, more structured page layouts, concise introductions and stronger narrative flows. Information that may once have been buried in lengthy reports is now being surfaced through dedicated web pages and summaries.
Good structure helps users navigate content more efficiently while creating stronger signals that AI systems can interpret accurately.
Summaries are becoming a critical feature of modern digital experiences.
AI tools work best when key messages are surfaced clearly and consistently. Equally, human audiences increasingly expect content that allows them to understand a topic quickly before deciding whether to explore further.
As a result, many organisations are introducing summary sections at the start of key pages.
These summaries help:
For both audiences, summaries provide clarity and context.
Another shift is the growing importance of publishing critical information directly within websites rather than relying solely on PDFs and downloadable documents.
Investors, candidates and wider stakeholders increasingly expect immediate access to information. Financial results, online annual reports, sustainability information, performance highlights, strategic priorities and governance content are increasingly being surfaced through dedicated web pages rather than being available only through downloadable documents.
This improves discoverability for AI systems while creating a more engaging and accessible experience for people.
The result is greater visibility, improved usability and stronger digital performance.
While AI is changing how information is discovered, it is simultaneously increasing the importance of creative design and engagement.
If AI can answer basic informational queries, then the website experience itself becomes more valuable.
Research shows:
This creates an opportunity for organisations to focus on experiences that AI cannot replicate.
Video, motion design, interactive data visualisations, personalised content journeys and micro-interactions all play an increasingly important role in helping users connect with a brand, strategy or story.
AI can summarise information.
It cannot replicate the emotional impact of a well-designed experience.
As a result, creative teams are increasingly focused on creating moments of engagement that build understanding, trust and connection.
Frequently Asked Questions are becoming one of the most effective content formats for both human users and AI systems.
Visitors increasingly arrive with specific questions rather than broad research goals. AI systems similarly favour content that provides direct answers to common queries.
FAQs can support numerous audiences, including:
Well-structured FAQs create clear, accessible content that can be surfaced directly within AI responses while helping users find information more quickly.
They provide a simple and effective way of improving both experience and discoverability.
Some of the most important changes driven by AI are invisible to users.
Schema markup, structured data and technical content signals play a significant role in helping AI systems understand websites correctly.
While visitors may never notice these elements, they help provide context around:
This additional layer of information helps AI interpret content more accurately and strengthens visibility across AI-powered search environments.
For digital teams, this means the creative experience is no longer just about what users see. It is also about what machines understand.
AI is reshaping how corporate websites are discovered, consumed and experienced.
The most successful organisations will not optimise for AI at the expense of people. They will create experiences that serve both.
This means publishing clearer content, making key information easier to access, providing concise summaries and ensuring technical foundations support discoverability.
At the same time, it means continuing to invest in the elements that make digital experiences memorable: storytelling, visual design, interaction and human connection.
The future creative experience is not human or AI.
It is human and AI working together. That is where the greatest opportunity lies.
Through our Digital Index research and AI Performance Analyser, we help organisations understand how AI is changing website visibility, engagement and user behaviour.
We help clients create websites that work effectively for both people and AI, from content structure and summaries to FAQs, schema markup and wider digital experience improvements.
If you would like to understand how AI is impacting your website and identify opportunities for improvement, please contact:
Abbie Dixon, Relationship Marketing Executive
adixon@blacksun-global.com
About Black Sun
Black Sun Global is a stakeholder advisory and engagement agency that's been driving transformation and positive change for ambitious brands for more than 20 years. With deep expertise in disclosure and reporting, ESG, sustainability, and digital engagement, we reshape how organisations connect with customers, investors, employees, and the wider world.
We are trusted partners to some of the most influential global organisations, sparking innovation and sustainable performance through our strategic insights, partnerships, and proprietary technologies.
As founders of the Positive Change Group, we are on a mission to create a new kind of stakeholder relations partner. Our world-class specialists work closely with executive leadership teams to protect reputations, inspire trust, and promote responsible business practices - building resilience and long-term value in a rapidly changing world.
For more information, please visit: www.blacksun-global.com
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