They said they're designing the UI with AI — what's the real cost and risk here?

AI generates visuals, but it can't set up design tokens, variables, or proper auto-layout logic. If every form element in the file handed to the developer lacks proper error, focus, and disabled states, the front-end dev will spend days trying to build a single screen.

Typing a few prompts generating images, and billing 80.000 TL must be great business for the agency. If there's no UX research or user flow testing involved, you're not getting a design—you're just buying a pretty illustration.

We took a similar offer once. Got the designs in 3 weeks, but our front-end guy was like "I can't write code from these pixels, every button is a different size." We ended up paying another freelancer 35.000 TL just to clean up the UI.

Just tell the agency straight up: "How you use AI in your process is your business; all I care about is getting a production-ready layered design file with proper mobile and desktop breakpoints." Set your acceptance criteria around that.

Make sure to get these 3 conditions into the contract: 1) Responsive variations built out for at least 3 distinct screen sizes, 2) A complete state map for all buttons, inputs, and menus, 3) Full legal indemnity from the agency against any copyright claims arising from visual similarity.

If AI can draw up a design in a couple of minutes, can't it just spit out the site's HTML and CSS directly without needing a developer at all?

everyone typing a prompt calls themselves an agency now. btw make sure to ask if the delivered file has editable layers or if they're just gonna send you a flat png.

The price looks super tempting, but don't rush into it imo. With complex setups like admin panels real user behavior is way messier than what AI predicts... You don't want your instructors getting completely lost in the system later on.

Let me speak from the other side; I'm on the supplier side. If code ownership isn't in the contract, you have no bargaining power when leaving.

If you have questions, write them; I'll answer as best I can.

my perspective changd after experiencing that. the real issue isn't the number, but what it's based on.

if you get three different answers on a topic the question was asked wrong. tbh if you post the result here, it will help otehrs too.

this thread is archived.. and honestly if acceptance criteria aren't written, when the work is done is open to debate.

this is my opinion, I'm not claiming it's absolute truth.

Correct.

The answer above hits the nail on the head. Ask who prepared the quote and who will actually do the work.

Access credentials should be opened in the company's name, not personal accounts. If you post the result here, it will help others too.

I think it's hard to be that definitive about ui design artificial intelligence. The answer varies greatly by industry; there is no one-size-fits-all rule.

Just leaving this note, it might be useful.

How did you solve this? Just because everyone does it doesn't mean it's right.

If you post the result here, it will help others too.

Absolutely. If I were to add anything: The real issue isn't the number, but what it's based on.

This is my opinion I'm not claiming it's absolute truth.

My perspective changed after experiencing that. When you try to change everything at once, nothing settles.

That's all, sorry if I went on too long.

My question might sound amateurish, sorry about that. When making a decision, first look at what data you have on hand.

Taking notes for two weeks yields better results than a six-month estimate. If you post the result here, it will help others too.