In a bold move to stay competitive in the increasingly crowded no-code web development space, WordPress.com has launched a free AI-powered website builder designed to simplify site creation for entrepreneurs, freelancers, and bloggers.
The new tool allows users to build an entire website through a conversational AI interface. All it takes is a simple prompt like, “Build a website for my coffee shop,” and the AI will generate a fully functional, professional-looking website tailored to that input. While it’s not yet capable of handling complex e-commerce features or integrations, it’s a significant step toward making website creation more accessible to the average user.
How It Works
To use the AI builder, users enter a detailed prompt describing their website idea, including the name, purpose, and desired content. The chatbot responds by creating a website layout complete with text, images, and formatting. Users can then tweak the site through additional chat commands or manually adjust the layout if preferred.
This feature is currently available only for brand-new websites, not existing ones. It offers 30 free prompts before prompting users to choose a hosting plan, which unlocks unlimited AI usage.
Competing with the Best
The move is a clear response to AI-powered tools from platforms like Wix and Squarespace, both of which have introduced similar builders to streamline the design process. However, WordPress’s hybrid AI approach—leveraging both self-hosted open-source models and externally hosted AI—may offer more customization potential in the long term.
Once users are satisfied with their website, they must purchase a hosting plan to go live. The Premium plan starts at $96/year, while the Business plan is priced at $300/year. Both plans include storage, free domains, access to premium themes, and customer support.
