Key Points
- WordPress unveiled Telex, an experimental AI tool, at WordCamp US 2025 in Portland.
- Telex generates Gutenberg blocks from natural‑language prompts and outputs installable zip files.
- The tool works with standard WordPress sites and the browser‑based WordPress Playground.
- Early testing showed mixed results, with some projects failing or needing extra work.
- CEO Matt Mullenweg emphasized the tool’s alignment with WordPress’s mission to democratize publishing.
- Telex is part of a broader AI strategy, following the creation of a dedicated AI team.
- Mullenweg highlighted both excitement for AI and caution about hype and market bubbles.
- The company is concurrently navigating a legal dispute with WP Engine over trademark licensing.
Background and Announcement
At the WordCamp US 2025 conference in Portland, WordPress CEO Matt Mullenweg announced the rollout of Telex, an experimental AI development tool designed specifically for the WordPress ecosystem. The platform, hosted at telex.automattic.ai, is positioned as a “V0 or Lovable” prototype, reflecting the company’s intent to explore prompt‑based AI interfaces for building software.
How Telex Works
Telex allows users to type a natural‑language prompt describing the type of Gutenberg block they wish to create. The system then returns a downloadable .zip file that can be installed as a plugin on a WordPress site or used within WordPress Playground, a browser‑based environment that runs WordPress without a host. During the keynote, Mullenweg demonstrated a simple marketing animation built with Telex, showing how the tool can produce modular pieces of text, images, columns, and other block elements.
Early Testing and Feedback
Early testers reported mixed results; several test projects failed or required additional work to function properly. Despite these challenges, the prototype is being presented as a proof of concept rather than a finished product. Mullenweg highlighted the broader mission, stating, “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.”
Future Outlook and Company Context
The launch of Telex follows WordPress’s earlier announcement of forming an AI team to steward future AI products aligned with long‑term goals. Mullenweg expressed optimism about AI’s role, noting, “At the core of it, there is a seed of something, which is so enabling,” while acknowledging concerns about hype and potential bubbles. He also referenced a separate legal dispute with hosting provider WP Engine over trademark licensing, describing it as progressing through the courts.
Source: techcrunch.com