WordPress Unveils Telex: An Experimental AI Tool for Gutenberg Block Creation

WordPress shows off Telex, its experimental AI development tool | TechCrunch

Web publishing platform WordPress is introducing an early version of an AI development tool, which CEO Matt Mullenweg described as a "V0 or Lovable, but specifically for WordPress" -- V0 and Lovable being references to popular "vibe coding" services for building software using prompt-based, AI interfaces. Mullenweg introduced the new WordPress AI tool, called Telex, at the company's WordCamp US 2025 conference in Portland last week, alongside other AI experiments. During his keynote address, Mullenweg briefly demonstrated how Telex would allow users to create Gutenberg blocks -- or the modular bits of text, images, columns, and more -- that make up a WordPress website. He showed off how one developer used the new tool to make a simple marketing animation. Available on its own domain at telex.automattic.ai, Telex today is labeled as "experimental." To use the service, you type in a prompt for what sort of content block you want to produce, which is returned as a .zip file you can install as a plugin to a WordPress site or WordPress Playground. (The latter being the platform that lets you run WordPress in a web browser on any device without a host.) The launch follows WordPress's announcement earlier this year that it was forming an AI team to steward the development of AI products that align with the company's long-term goals. Early testers found that Telex still has a ways to go, as several test projects failed or needed additional work to run properly. Though Mullenweg did stress that Telex was still a prototype, he was bullish on the potential for AI to further the WordPress mission over time. "When we think about democratized publishing, like embedded in that, is very core to WordPress' mission, has been taking things that were difficult to do, that required knowledge of coding or anything else, and ... made it accessible to people. Made it accessible in a radically open way, in every language, at low cost, open source -- we actually own it and have rights to it," Mullenweg said. The CEO also admitted there were parts of AI's progress that could be scary, given the hype and the talk about AI potentially being a bubble, but that didn't overrule his excitement. "At the core of it, there is a seed of something, which is so enabling," he said of AI. "It is an incredibly exciting time to be building for WordPress." Mullenweg also showed off another simpler AI tool, built with an hour or two of work during Contributor Day, which offered a WordPress help assistant inside the browser. And he spoke of his favorite AI browser -- Perplexity's Comet -- which would allow users to interact with WordPress from its interface. As for the legal drama that's been surrounding the company over the past year or so, Mullenweg only offered a brief update. The company has been engaged in a dispute with hosting provider WP Engine, which Mulleweg alleges is profiting off the work WordPress does, without contributing enough back. He wants WP Engine to therefore license the WordPress trademark, which he says confuses customers about its association with the company. "The quick update is, it's working its way through the legal system. We trust in the fairness of the courts," Mullenweg said. "If there's any commentary, I'll just say that there was a settlement conference, I showed up; the other CEO did not. But it is working its way through that. And that's my only comment on that whole rigmarole."

WordPress unveils Telex AI tool for Gutenberg blocks

At WordCamp US 2025 in Portland, WordPress showcased an early iteration of its artificial intelligence development tool, named Telex. Chief Executive Officer Matt Mullenweg characterized Telex as a "V0 or Lovable" prototype, referencing popular vibe-coding services. This announcement underscores WordPress's commitment to integrating AI into its platform. During his keynote address at the conference, Mullenweg provided a demonstration of Telex's capabilities, illustrating how it enables users to generate Gutenberg blocks through AI prompts. Gutenberg blocks are the modular components, such as text, images, and columns, used to construct WordPress websites. Mullenweg showcased a marketing animation developed by a developer using Telex, highlighting the tool's potential for content creation. Telex is currently accessible via its dedicated domain, telex.automattic.ai, and is explicitly labeled as an "experimental" project. This designation indicates that the tool is in an early phase of development and may be subject to changes or improvements. Prospective users can engage with Telex by inputting a text prompt describing the desired content block. The system then returns a .zip file containing the generated block, which can be installed as a plugin on a WordPress site or within the WordPress Playground. The WordPress Playground is a platform that allows users to run WordPress directly within a web browser on any device, eliminating the need for a hosting environment. This feature enhances accessibility and facilitates experimentation with WordPress functionalities. The introduction of Telex aligns with WordPress's earlier announcement regarding the formation of an internal AI team. This team is tasked with guiding the development of AI products that are consistent with the company's long-term strategic goals. Early testing of Telex has revealed that the tool is still in its nascent stages and requires further refinement. Several test projects encountered issues during operation, necessitating additional adjustments or modifications to achieve the desired results. These findings suggest that Telex is not yet a fully mature product and is undergoing ongoing development and improvement based on user feedback and testing. Mullenweg acknowledged that Telex is still a prototype but expressed optimism about the potential of AI to advance WordPress's core mission. He articulated this mission by saying, "When we think about democratized publishing, like embedded in that, is very core to WordPress' mission, has been taking things that were difficult to do, that required knowledge of coding or anything else, and ... made it accessible to people. Made it accessible in a radically open way, in every language, at low cost, open source -- we actually own it and have rights to it." This statement underscores the company's commitment to making web publishing accessible to a broad audience. Acknowledging potential downsides, Mullenweg spoke of concerns regarding AI hype and the possibility of an AI bubble. He stated, "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." This sentiment reflects a balanced perspective, acknowledging both the risks and opportunities associated with the integration of AI technologies. Beyond Telex, Mullenweg also showcased a simpler AI tool developed during Contributor Day, which functions as a WordPress help assistant integrated within the browser. This tool demonstrates the accessibility of AI development and its potential for providing immediate support to WordPress users. Additionally, he mentioned Perplexity's Comet as his preferred AI browser for interacting with WordPress, suggesting a preference for AI-powered interfaces that enhance the WordPress experience. Mullenweg addressed ongoing legal matters involving a dispute with WP Engine, a web hosting provider. The core of the dispute centers on allegations that WP Engine is profiting from WordPress's work without providing sufficient contributions in return. WordPress is seeking a trademark licensing agreement, alleging that WP Engine's practices create confusion among customers regarding its association with the WordPress organization. Mullenweg commented, "The quick update is, it's working its way through the legal system. We trust in the fairness of the courts. If there's any commentary, I'll just say that there was a settlement conference, I showed up; the other CEO did not. But it is working its way through that. And that's my only comment on that whole rigmarole." This statement indicates the legal proceedings are ongoing and that WordPress remains confident in the judicial process.