WordPress has long been at the forefront of democratizing publishing on the web. From its humble beginnings as a blogging platform to powering over 43% of all websites today, it has continuously evolved to meet the changing needs of creators and developers. At WordCamp US 2025, Automattic, the company behind WordPress.com, unveiled Telex, positioning it as one of its most ambitious experiments to date.
This launch marks a significant step in WordPress’s AI journey, moving beyond AI-assisted writing and layout suggestions into the heart of development itself, generating functional code on demand.
What Is Telex?
At its core, Telex is an experimental AI development tool that allows users to describe what they want in natural language and receive a ready-to-install Gutenberg block or plugin in return.
For example, a user might type, “Create a responsive testimonial carousel with author photos and star ratings.” In seconds, Telex generates the necessary code, packages it into a ZIP file, and makes it available for download. Users can then install it on their WordPress site or test it directly in WordPress Playground, the browser-based environment for running WordPress without a host.
Instead of dragging and dropping prebuilt components, Telex empowers users to generate entirely new functionality by simply describing it. This approach, which Automattic calls “vibe coding,” aims to bridge the gap between professional developers and non-technical creators.
Matt Mullenweg’s Vision
Automattic CEO Matt Mullenweg framed Telex as more than just another experiment. In his WordCamp keynote, he positioned it as “V0 or Lovable, but specifically for WordPress”, aligning it with the broader movement of vibe coding, a style of development where human intent expressed in natural language is translated into usable code.
Mullenweg stressed that Telex is a continuation of WordPress’s founding mission, lowering barriers so anyone can build for the web. He highlighted that, unlike closed AI systems, Telex is designed to be low-cost, open source, and multilingual, ensuring creators retain ownership of their tools and content. The vision is to make development radically accessible while ensuring creators retain full ownership and rights over their tools and content.
This vision underscores Automattic’s long-standing philosophy that technology should empower, not exclude. Telex, in this sense, could democratize not just publishing, but development itself.
How Telex Works
While Telex is still experimental, its workflow is surprisingly simple. Instead of writing complex code, users describe what they want in plain English, and Telex does the heavy lifting. Here’s a closer look at Telex in action:
- Start with a prompt
The process begins when a user enters a natural-language description of what they want to build.
- AI generates the code
Telex interprets the request and automatically writes the underlying WordPress code needed to implement the described functionality.
- Packaging as a block or plugin
The generated code is then bundled into a working Gutenberg block or WordPress plugin, ready to be tested or installed.
- Test in WordPress Playground
Before adding it to a live website, the block or plugin can be run inside WordPress Playground, a safe, browser-based environment for instant testing.
- Review and refine
Users can check how the generated feature works, make edits to the prompt if necessary, and iterate until it meets their needs.
- Deploy on a live site
Once satisfied, the final block or plugin can be installed on any WordPress site, bringing the plain-language idea into a real, functioning feature.
Why Telex Matters for WordPress
Telex is more than just an experimental project, it represents a natural evolution of WordPress’s mission. From its early days, WordPress has sought to make publishing on the web accessible to everyone, regardless of technical skill. Telex extends that philosophy into the world of development, lowering barriers so that creating custom functionality is no longer limited to those with coding expertise.
For newcomers, Telex provides an entry point to building blocks and plugins with nothing more than a plain-language description. For experienced developers, it offers a powerful rapid prototyping tool, accelerating workflows and freeing up time to focus on design, optimization, and user experience.
Implications for Developers and Agencies
For developers and digital agencies, Telex could be both a disruptive challenge and an exciting opportunity. On one hand, the tool promises to automate some of the routine coding tasks that developers currently handle, such as building simple blocks, forms, or layout elements. This could raise concerns about commoditization of basic services.
On the other hand, Telex has the potential to supercharge professional workflows. It allows developers to focus on higher-value tasks like performance optimization, security hardening, custom integrations, and design innovation. Agencies could use Telex to accelerate prototyping for clients, reduce delivery times, and free up resources for strategic work.
The tool could also expand the client base for agencies. Small businesses or individuals who previously lacked the budget for custom development might turn to agencies once Telex makes entry-level projects more affordable. Developers who embrace Telex can position themselves as experts in refining, securing, and scaling AI-generated outputs.
The Future of Telex
WordPress’s decision to debut Telex at WordCamp US 2025 signals that the company views it not as a passing experiment, but as part of a longer-term strategy to integrate AI into the platform’s ecosystem.
In the near future, Telex could evolve beyond generating simple Gutenberg blocks and plugins. We may see it support complex workflows, multi-block patterns, advanced customization, and even theme development. Integration with WordPress Playground could also deepen, offering a seamless loop between prompt, generation, testing, and deployment.
For the WordPress community, Telex could reshape the way developers, agencies, and everyday site owners interact with the platform. If it matures, Telex might become as transformative as the introduction of Gutenberg itself, not replacing coding entirely, but changing the entry point for how people build on WordPress.
Of course, challenges remain, from ensuring security and reliability of AI-generated code to building community trust in experimental features. But if the WordPress ecosystem rallies around Telex, it could mark the beginning of a new era where imagination, AI, and open-source collaboration come together to redefine web development.
