The AI Contributor group met on Wednesday, March 18, 2026, to discuss the final push for WordPress 7.0, upcoming plugin releases, and critical architecture decisions regarding the MCP (Model Context Protocol) and the AI “Master Switch.”
AI Experiments Plugin
- Version 0.5.0 Released: This version aligns the plugin with the AI client in WordPress 7.0 Core.
- Version 0.6.0 Scheduled: Targeting a release tomorrow. The primary focus is Image Editing, which has been identified as a Feature (notably not an Experiment) for the 7.0 cycle.
- Refine from Notes: A new experiment is underway allowing AI to action comments within post notes to update content.
- Contextual Tagging: Work is beginning on AI-suggested categories and tags, though it may land in a post-7.0 release.
UI and Design Concerns
- Settings Refactor: There is a push to align the AI settings page with the modern “Connectors” UI.
- Banner Design Feedback: @jeffpaul raised concerns regarding the new “WordPress in bits” banner design, noting that the floating elements could be interpreted as AI “breaking up” or destroying WordPress. Designers are encouraged to provide feedback on the Trac ticket by the end of the week.
The AI “Off Switch”
A significant portion of the meeting focused on the implementation of a global constant to disable AI features.
- The Conflict: There is a debate between using a filter (allowing plugins to override) versus a strict constant (an “Off Switch”).
- Decision: To meet the RC1 deadline tomorrow, the team will merge the current implementation but continue the discussion during the RC phase. The goal is to ensure users have a transparent way to opt-out of AI entirely without plugin interference.
MCP (Model Context Protocol)
- Plugin vs. Package: Discussion continued on whether the MCP adapter should be a standalone plugin on WordPress.org or bundled as a package.
- Stability: @dlevine emphasized that if AI becomes user-facing in 7.0, the MCP infrastructure must be considered stable.
- Action: @ovidiuiulian is working to get version 0.5.0 of the MCP adapter out to stabilize the codebase before any further refactoring.
Community & Documentation
- WordCamp Asia Resources: @raftaar1191 presented a draft for a Core-AI welcome and resource list for contributors. The team is encouraged to review and provide feedback directly in the document.
- Open Source Providers: The group discussed the lack of a prominent “Open Source” model provider on the initial connector screen. While Local-LLM options like Ollama are in development, they may not be approved by the Plugins team and released in time for the WP 7.0 launch.
Weekly Goals
- Merge the AI Off Switch into Core for RC1 by tomorrow.
- Release AI Experiments 0.6.0 featuring Image Editing.
- Publish PHPMCP Schema to Packagist (needs admin assistance).
- Gather Design Feedback on the AI banner imagery to avoid negative connotations.
Upcoming Meetings
- AI Team Office Hours (Slack): Thursday, 19 March 2026 at 17:00 UTC.
- AI Contributor Meeting (Video): Wednesday, 25 March 2026 at 17:00 UTC.
Props to @jeffpaul for pre-publish review.