Artificial Intelligence (AI)

WordPress debuts Telex, an experimental AI tool

Ken Metral

Ken Metral

— 2 min read
Cosmico - WordPress debuts Telex, an experimental AI tool
Credit: Automattic Inc.

WordPress is taking its first major step into AI-powered web development with the introduction of Telex, a new experimental tool designed to help users generate custom WordPress blocks using simple text prompts. The tool was unveiled last week by CEO Matt Mullenweg during his keynote at WordCamp US 2025 in Portland.

Inspired by “Vibe Coding” Tools

Mullenweg described Telex as a “V0 or Lovable, but specifically for WordPress” — referencing emerging “vibe coding” platforms that allow developers to spin up apps and tools via conversational AI. With Telex, users can describe the block they want, and the system will package the result into a .zip plugin file. That file can then be uploaded directly to a WordPress site or tested inside WordPress Playground, the browser-based sandbox environment.

A brief demo at the event showed how one developer used Telex to build a simple marketing animation in just a few steps.

Currently available at telex.automattic.ai, the platform carries a clear “experimental” label, reflecting its early stage. Testers reported mixed results, with some generated projects failing to run properly without manual fixes.

Aligning AI with WordPress’ Mission

The launch follows WordPress’ earlier announcement of a dedicated AI development team. Mullenweg said these efforts are part of a longer-term vision to expand the platform’s accessibility:

“When we think about democratized publishing … it’s about taking things that were difficult, that required coding knowledge, and making them radically accessible — in every language, at low cost, open source.”

Despite acknowledging risks and concerns around the broader AI boom — including hype and fears of a bubble — Mullenweg stressed his optimism:

“At the core of it, there is a seed of something, which is so enabling. It is an incredibly exciting time to be building for WordPress.”

Other AI Experiments

Beyond Telex, Mullenweg highlighted other early AI projects:

  • A WordPress help assistant, built in just a few hours during Contributor Day, that runs directly in the browser.
  • Experiments with Comet, Perplexity’s AI-driven browser, to interact with WordPress via natural language.

Mullenweg also addressed the company’s ongoing legal dispute with hosting provider WP Engine, which he accuses of benefiting from the WordPress brand without adequate contribution. The case is still moving through the courts:

“There was a settlement conference, I showed up; the other CEO did not. But it is working its way through that,” he said, offering no further detail.

Why It Matters

Telex represents a significant milestone for WordPress, the web’s most widely used publishing platform. If successful, it could lower barriers to web development, allowing non-technical users to create custom designs and features with simple prompts — extending the platform’s long-standing mission of democratizing publishing.

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