WordPress Finally Takes Steps to Integrate AI

After many years, WordPress has officially entered the AI space. On May 27, 2025 WordPress announced the formation of an AI team. This team is dedicated to coordinating development and integration of AI into the WordPress core. 

This piece covers: 

• Coordinating cross-team efforts to explore AI-powered features responsibly and inclusively
• Publishing and maintaining a public roadmap of AI initiatives and Canonical Plugins
• Collaborating closely with Core, Design, Accessibility, and other teams to ensure strong integration and shared standards. 

Background:

WordPress is embracing AI to modernize its platform and support a wide range of user needs. While historically cautious with emerging technologies, WordPress is now forming a dedicated AI team to ensure that integration happens responsibly and transparently. This team is tasked with exploring how AI can enhance the platform while staying aligned with open-source principles and core development standards.

Why It Matters: 

AI is rapidly shaping the future of the web, and WordPress has an opportunity to lead that evolution—without compromising its values. A centralized AI team ensures consistency, promotes collaboration across core teams, and prevents fragmented experimentation. By developing AI-powered plugins and tools, WordPress can remain competitive, gather actionable feedback, and offer smarter, more intuitive experiences to users—all while reinforcing the platform’s commitment to openness and accessibility.

 Exploring AI-powered Features Responsibly and Inclusively

WordPress teams will explore how AI features impact the overall cohesiveness and user experience of websites. While AI offers powerful tools, it should enhance—not replace—the human element. Overly formal or generic AI-generated content can diminish authenticity. Our goal is to strike the right balance between AI capabilities and the personal, human touch that defines the WordPress experience.

Creating a Public Roadmap of AI Initiatives and Canonical Plugins

As an open-source site, WordPress thrives using Canonical plug-ins as a means of integration. Canonical plug-ins provide the optimal environment for testing AI before making it a permanent fixture on the site. These plug-ins can help users generate or improve posts, create automated SEO enhancements to enhance metadata and structure, and resize, tag, or translate images and videos. 

Shared Standards and Strong Integration Across Teams

All WordPress teams will work together to ensure AI integration strengthens—rather than disrupts—the platform’s foundation. Collaboration between the Core, Design, and Accessibility teams and the AI team is essential to maintaining WordPress’s structure, usability, and commitment to open standards.

AI Integration in WordPress Increases the Usability of the Site

WordPress is evolving with thoughtful AI integration to enhance user experience and site navigation. The newly formed AI team is collaborating with the Core, Design, and Accessibility teams to ensure innovation aligns with WordPress’s core values. AI will be used as a powerful tool—complementing, not replacing, the human touch that defines the platform.