WordPress.com has introduced a built-in AI assistant designed to operate within a website, understanding its content and layout, as announced on Tuesday. This feature is set to revolutionize the way site owners interact with and modify their websites.
The AI assistant allows site owners to modify their sites using natural language commands, adjusting the site’s layout, style, or other patterns without requiring precise phrasing. Users can issue commands such as “make this section feel more modern or spacious,” “change my site’s colors to be brighter and bolder,” or “give me more font options that feel clean and professional.” The AI can be directed to add or adjust layouts with commands like “add a contact page” or “add a testimonials section below this section.” These adjustments are compatible with block themes, although the assistant will not appear in the editor when using classic themes.
In addition to layout adjustments, the AI assistant supports content updates, allowing users to request rewrites, such as making a bio sound more confident, or translating sections into other languages. The AI assistant functions as an editor, offering headline suggestions, fact checks, and grammar and editing suggestions. This capability is accessible through the block notes editor, introduced in WordPress 6.9, which facilitates team collaboration. Users can integrate the AI into this workflow by typing “@ai” followed by their requests, and the AI will provide answers, including relevant links and information from external sources.
For visual assistance, the assistant utilizes Google Gemini’s Nano Banana AI models to create or edit images. A new “Generate Image” button in the Media Library enables users to specify image requirements, such as aspect ratios, or dictate image styles. The WordPress AI Assistant is an opt-in feature that can be enabled by logging in, navigating to the Sites list, clicking the site name, and then selecting Settings. Under Settings, users will scroll to “AI tools” and toggle “Enable AI assistant” on. Customers purchasing a website with the AI website builder will have the assistant automatically enabled.
