Fairhaven Web Design's
AI Policy
Why this page exists
You've probably noticed that a lot of web design has quietly become a machine spitting out a template with robot-written copy pasted into it. We think you deserve to know exactly where a real person's hands were on your project and where they weren't.
So here it is, in plain language.
Fairhaven Web Design is human-first. A person who understands your business, your customers, and your goals works on your brand. We do use AI, but as a tool inside a process we already had running before AI was readily available, not as a replacement for knowing how to run it. We always make the judgment, the design decisions, the strategy, and the final call.
If a page on our site says "no templates, no AI design," we mean it. This page is how we back that up.
What this means for your project
A human designs your
website. Layout, hierarchy, color, type, and the decisions about what goes where and why, that's design work, and it's done by a designer. We do not generate site designs with AI and hand them to you.
A human writes your copy.
We may use AI to break a writer's block, rough out an outline, or suggest ten headline options so we can throw out nine. What lands on your site is written, rewritten, and approved by a person who has actually talked to you.
A human runs your SEO.
Keyword research, competitive analysis, and technical audits all involve software, and some of that software now includes AI, that's been true of SEO tools for years. But the strategy, priorities, and recommendations you get come from experience, not a prompt.
We don't use AI-generated images.
No AI stock photos, no AI illustrations, no six-fingered people in your hero section. We use real photography, licensed library assets, and original graphics. You can tell an image was generated by AI, so can your customers.
Code gets reviewed.
AI can speed up writing a custom function or tracking down a CSS conflict. Nothing goes live on your site that we haven't read, tested, and understood.
We'll tell you if you ask.
Curious whether AI touched a specific piece of your project? Ask. We are happy to let you know.
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Where AI actually helps
We're not anti-AI. Used well, it removes busywork and gives us more hours for the work that actually needs a human. Here's where it earns its keep at Fairhaven:
* Transcribing and summarizing discovery calls so we can stay engaged in the conversation instead of our notes.
* First-draft outlines for pages, blog posts, and proposals that we then rewrite
* Research: pulling together competitor findings, industry background, and keyword data faster. Honestly, this is a game changer.
* Writing and debugging code
* Organizing project notes, drafting internal checklists, and handling repetitive admin tasks
* Alt text and metadata first passes, edited for accuracy before publishing
* Loading up data. AI is SO much faster at loading a spreadsheet into a custom post type than I am.
Notice the pattern: AI does the prep and the paperwork. People do the thinking and the making.
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Your information and your privacy
This is the part most agencies won't put in writing, so we will.
Your data is not used to train AI models. We use business and team accounts on the AI tools in our stack, and we turn off model-training settings wherever a provider offers them. Your business information, your customer data, and your project files are not feeding anyone's model.
We're careful about what goes into a prompt in the first place. Customer lists, login credentials, financial records, medical or legal information, and anything you've told us is confidential do not get pasted into an AI tool. If a task can't be done without exposing sensitive information, we do it by hand.
Under NDA, we go stricter. If you have specific requirements about AI use on your project, including "none at all", tell us and we'll put it in the agreement. That's a normal request, and we're happy to honor it.
You own what we make for you. Our AI use doesn't change the ownership terms in your contract. The website, the branding, and the content we deliver are yours.
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Tools we use
Being specific beats being vague, so here's what's actually in the stack:
* Claude : writing drafts, code, research summaries, and internal organization
* ChatGPT : brainstorming, outlines, and second opinions
* Meeting transcription : recording and summarizing client calls (with your knowledge)
* SEO platforms : keyword research and site audits, several of which now include AI features
* WordPress and Divi tooling : build and workflow assistance inside the platforms we already use
This list changes as tools change. We'll keep it current.
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One thing worth separating
There's a difference between using AI to build your website and building your website to be found by AI.
We don't do the first. We absolutely do the second. More and more people are finding local businesses through AI search and chat assistants, and structuring your site so it gets surfaced and cited correctly is part of modern SEO. That's strategy work, and it's a service we offer.
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Questions?
If anything here raises a question about your project, ask. We'd rather have the conversation than have you wonder.
