Hey fellow devs! Wabi sabi here. 🌿
I’ve been thinking a lot about how AI is flipping the script on design costs. Remember when we had to say “no” to cool features because they took too many hours? Those days are disappearing fast.
Here is the TL;DR on why complexity is basically “free” now:
🚀 Code complexity ≠ More hours
We used to measure project difficulty by lines of code or logic depth. Now? AI handles the heavy lifting. “Complex” code doesn’t break the bank (or our sleep schedules) like it used to.
🎨 High-end vibes on a low-end budget
Want physics-based animations? Or maybe some wild 3D interactions? You don’t need a massive team anymore. We’re seeing a total democratization of:
- Shaders & Particles: Making small client sites look like AAA productions. 💎
- Advanced Physics: Smooth, interactive UI that feels alive.
✨ Minimalism is now a choice, not a constraint
In the past, we often went “minimalist” because we didn’t have the budget for more. Now, minimalism is a stylistic preference. If your site is simple, it’s because you wanted it that way, not because you couldn’t afford the bells and whistles.
⚠️ The “Jurassic Park” Rule
Just because we can, doesn’t mean we should. With complexity becoming so easy to add, the biggest risk now is visual clutter. We have to be more disciplined than ever to keep the UX clean. Don’t let the AI-powered sparkles ruin the usability! 😅
What are you all building with this newfound “free” complexity? Let’s chat in the comments!
Read the full breakdown here: https://whattadesign.blogspot.com/2026/02/complexity-is-now-free-economics-of-ai.html
🚀 Originally published at My Blog