WordPress Bets Big on AI With New Dedicated Team
The open-source giant doubles down on AI integration
WordPress is making its biggest move yet into artificial intelligence with the formation of a dedicated AI team. The new WordPress AI Team, announced this week, will spearhead the platform’s strategy for integrating AI tools while staying true to its open-source roots. This comes as AI reshapes how content is created, managed, and optimized across the web—a shift WordPress can’t afford to ignore.
“AI is no longer optional for platforms like WordPress,” says a core contributor. “But how we implement it matters just as much as whether we do.”
The team brings together veterans from across the WordPress ecosystem, including experts in open-source development, performance optimization, and product design. Their mandate? To ensure AI features align with WordPress’s community-driven ethos while keeping the platform competitive. Initial leadership falls to James and Felix as Team Reps, who’ll coordinate with other Make WordPress teams like Core and Gutenberg.
Transparency remains a priority: all discussions will happen publicly in the #core-ai Slack channel and on the team’s official hub at make.wordpress.org/ai. For a project that powers over 40% of the web, this openness is non-negotiable. “We’re not just adding AI for AI’s sake,” notes one contributor. “Every tool must solve real problems for real users.”
Why now—and what’s next?
The timing isn’t accidental. With rivals like Squarespace and Wix rolling out AI-powered templates and content generators, WordPress risks falling behind in usability. But unlike those closed systems, WordPress’s approach hinges on collaboration. The team explicitly invites developers, designers, and content creators to join the conversation—especially those wary of AI’s ethical pitfalls.
Early focus areas include smarter content blocks, automated accessibility checks, and AI-assisted admin tools. But the bigger challenge may be balancing innovation with the platform’s decentralized nature. As one team member puts it: “We’re building for everyone from solo bloggers to enterprise publishers. That means no one-size-fits-all solutions.”
“This isn’t about replacing human creativity—it’s about removing drudgery,” says a Gutenberg contributor. “Think spellcheck, not ghostwriting.”
For now, the message is clear: WordPress is all-in on AI, but on its own terms. Developers can expect the first experimental features to surface in upcoming Gutenberg releases, with broader rollouts tied to community feedback. Want a seat at the table? Watch for meeting announcements—and bring your big ideas.
