Hosting platform WordPress.com introduced a new AI-powered website builder on Wednesday, designed to simplify online presence creation through a chat-style interface. The new tool, now available free of charge to WordPress users, targets entrepreneurs, freelancers, bloggers, and small business owners looking for convenient ways to develop professional websites.
As of launch, the AI-powered builder focuses primarily on straightforward website projects and is not yet suitable for complex e-commerce sites or advanced integrations. Even though similar AI-driven website builders have already been unveiled by competitors including Squarespace and Wix, WordPress.com’s new offering seeks to provide its vast user base comparable convenience and simplicity. At present, manual adjustments and understanding of website design fundamentals may still be necessary for more detailed customization. Over time, the technology is expected to learn user’s preferences based on ongoing edits, which may further expand its automated capabilities.
Users initiate their web creation project by interacting conversationally with the AI chatbot, providing a descriptive prompt outlining their website ideas, content needs, and specific layout preferences. The company suggests using clear, detailed descriptions—for example, “build a website for my coffee shop”—to achieve optimal results. After submitting their prompt, users must either log into an existing account or register a new one, as the feature is exclusively available for creating new websites. Once established, users retain the option to refine their websites either by continuing the chat interaction or directly through manual editing.
The builder includes an initial allocation of 30 free prompts, allowing users ample opportunity to explore and assess its functionality before selecting one of WordPress.com’s paid hosting plans, all of which provide unlimited AI prompts. Hosting plan pricing begins at $48 per year for personal sites, increasing up to $300 per year for more feature-rich business plans, inclusive of amenities such as customer support, enhanced storage options, premium themes, and complimentary domain registration for one year. The AI-powered website builder remains free within these hosting plans, aiming to encourage broader adoption among WordPress.com’s existing and potential customers.
