Introduction to WordPress AI Team
WordPress has formed a new AI team to explore how artificial intelligence can be integrated into the platform. The team’s goal is to enable WordPress to support AI agents and content consumption, allowing for new kinds of functionality. To achieve this, the team is focusing on developer tools that will allow third-party developers and services to connect AI systems to WordPress without embedding generative features directly into the core.
The Vision for AI Integration
The AI team is led by James LaPage, the AI engineering lead at Automattic. In an interview, LaPage shared his vision for how AI can be integrated into WordPress. He explained that the team is taking a cautious approach due to the rapid changes in AI technology. LaPage believes that WordPress is at a perfect time to start exploring AI integration, as the technology is becoming more stable and standardized.
Timing of AI Team Announcement
Some may argue that WordPress is late to the AI party, as many competitors, including Wix, Duda, and Shopify, have already integrated AI into their platforms. However, LaPage argues that the fast pace of changes in AI made it necessary for WordPress to wait until the technology was more stable. With the emergence of Agentic AI, which allows AI agents to research the web on behalf of humans, WordPress is now ready to start exploring AI integration.
A Future with AI-Accessible WordPress
LaPage was asked what an AI-friendly WordPress might look like in three years. He shared a vision of WordPress as a foundational framework for AI agents, where tools, content, and interactivity are natively exposed to be dynamically interacted with and consumed. This would enable users to express themselves digitally in new and innovative ways, using AI to consume information and build functionality.
Technical Description of Future AI Innovation
LaPage explained that the team is working on a protocol called MCP (Model Context Protocol), which is an open standard that defines how software can expose functionality to AI. This protocol will allow developers to build tools that can be used by AI agents to interact with WordPress. The team is also working on a Feature API that will allow plugin developers to expose functionality to AI within WordPress in a unified way.
Getting Involved with the AI Team
The WordPress community can contribute to the development of AI integration by providing feedback to the AI team. LaPage invited users to get involved through the make.wordpress.org/AI blog and the Core AI Slack channel. The team is working on creating a roadmap with explicit instructions on how users can contribute to the project.
Conclusion
The formation of the WordPress AI team marks an exciting new chapter in the development of the platform. With the team’s focus on developer tools and open standards, WordPress is poised to become a leader in AI integration. As the team works to create a more AI-accessible WordPress, users can expect new and innovative ways to express themselves digitally. By getting involved with the AI team, the WordPress community can help shape the future of the platform and ensure that it remains a vibrant and dynamic place for digital expression.