Well, first off: the new I-94 website is terrible, my latest I-94 printout looks like a 95's website split over 2 pages (the old I-94 printout at least looked semi official).

Back on topic: I really don't see the point in this. According to the website you still have to be issued a paper I-94 at the border, so all you're doing is providing them a bit of information and money earlier, but the bureacratic part of the process is barely being improved.

On a related note: I've seen some parts of the CBP website suggesting that reentering the US when you have an existing valid digital I-94 you don't need to go through the same paper I-94 rigmarole, does anyone know more about that? This online I-94 pre-application doesn't seem to make any mention of it, so is it possible people are being duped into unnecessarily buying another I-94? (This is possible if you e.g. are on the VWP, flew to the US, went to Canada for a few days, come back to the US at a land border)