The WP Minute+

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This episode of The WP Minute follows Eric Karkovack through his first experience releasing a WordPress plugin with a little help from AI.

Eric joins Matt to talk about Karks CRM, an open-source CRM and invoicing plugin he built to replace his aging QuickBooks Desktop workflow. Claude did much of the coding, but Eric provided the direction, testing, revisions, and real-world business requirements.
The conversation gets into what AI can actually handle, where human judgment still matters, and what happens when AI-generated code meets the standards of the WordPress.org plugin repository. Eric shares what he learned from the review process, including an issue with CSV sanitization that required multiple rounds of changes.

Matt and Eric also talk about why WordPress's stability and community still matter, especially as developers rush toward AI-generated tools and frameworks. And with Karks CRM now open source, the next question is what happens when other WordPress users start asking for features.

Takeaways

• AI can build a working plugin surprisingly fast.
• The developer still has to direct, test, and validate the work.
• AI-generated code doesn't automatically meet WordPress standards.
• WordPress's plugin review process still catches problems AI misses.
• UI and usability can require more iteration than the code itself.
• Open source turns a personal tool into a community commitment.
• WordPress's stability is still valuable for long-term client work.
• Community is one of WordPress's biggest advantages.
• Client data makes hosting and security decisions especially important.
• AI may change how plugins get built, but judgment still matters.

Important Links

• Karks CRM: Karks CRM on WordPress.org
• Karks CRM website: Karks CRM
• Claude Code: Claude Code
• Plugin Check:. Plugin Check
• WP-CLI: WP-CLI
• Email delivery service Eric mentions: Mailgun
• Recommended security setup for a site containing client data: Cloudflare

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The days of clunky manual translation workflows and generic, brand-deaf automated output might finally be numbered. On this episode of The WP Minute+, host Eric Karkovack sits down with Augustin, CEO and founder of Weglot, to unwrap Weglot 2.0. They dive deep into how personalized AI models, live website data, and server-side infrastructure are rewriting the playbook for building high-converting, localized WordPress sites—without needing a native speaker on staff.

Key Takeaways

• Weglot 2.0 builds a bespoke AI translation model using your existing site data as a base, preserving your specific audience, tone, and brand identity.
• The updated dashboard allows users to choose their operational speed—ranging from total autonomous automation to explicit review workflows and agency validation stages.
• In-house testing across millions of prompts showed that multi-language sites appear up to 3x more frequently in Google AI Overviews and LLM search results.
• Translation isn't just plain text anymore; localized media, image alt tags, and video elements can now be detected, served, and managed directly.
• A simple 3-month strategy: deploy automated translations across ~12 candidate languages based on traffic data, analyze the conversion lift, and double down on top performers.

Important Links

• Weglot — Weglot.com
• Weglot on LinkedIn — @Weglot
• The WP Minute Subscribe — https://thewpminute.com/subscribe/
  
  

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On this episode of The WP Minute+ podcast, Matt Medeiros sits down with Brian Richards to discuss the evolving economics of event sponsorship and the restructuring of LoopConf US. Brian shares why he is moving away from traditional corporate sponsorship models in favor of an attendee-funded approach, relying on early ticket sales to secure working capital. They also explore the value of intimate conference environments, pragmatic software choices, incorporating non-WordPress technologies into production pipelines, and why open-source software remains resilient during periods of community uncertainty.

Event Info & Ticket Details: LoopConf US

• Dates: June 16–17, 2027
• Location: Grand Rapids, Michigan
• Website: loopconf.com
• Pricing Tiers:
  • Early Bird: $299
  • General Admission: $349
• Refund Policy: Tickets are 100% fully refundable until January 31st, with transfer options available after that date.

Key Takeaways:

• Relying strictly on corporate sponsor budgets or standard affiliate links leaves creators and event organizers vulnerable to shifting corporate priorities.
• Selling tickets up to ten months in advance provides the working capital needed to run the event without corporate sponsor backing.
• LoopConf intentionally caps attendance between 100 and 200 people to preserve high-value hallway track conversations.
• The official LoopConf website is built as a lightweight static site rather than on WordPress to match the exact requirements of the project.
• Incorporating workflows and perspectives from outside WordPress, such as Ghost or Ruby on Rails, expands developer capabilities.
• GPL open-source licensing ensures that site codebases remain functional and community-supported regardless of corporate leadership shifts.

Important links:

• Register for LoopConf
• WPSessions
• The WP Minute+ Podcast: thewpminute.com/subscribe
  
  

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This episode of The WP Minute brings together Alex Panagis, Brian Coords, Andy Peatling, and Mike McAlister to tackle a big question: How do we get AI agents to actually use WordPress?

The conversation starts with a problem that could have major implications for WordPress: when people ask AI agents to build a website, WordPress isn't always the recommendation. The group digs into why that is, what agents actually need from WordPress, and whether the platform is moving quickly enough.

They explore AI-generated websites, discoverability, public benchmarks, design systems, MCP, the WordPress Abilities API, WP-CLI, Gutenberg, and the growing tension between WordPress's flexibility and the simplicity agents are looking for.

The bigger question isn't just whether AI can build a WordPress site. It's whether WordPress can become a platform that AI agents actually want to build with.

Takeaways

• AI agents aren't consistently recommending WordPress.
• WordPress needs to become easier for agents to discover and use.
• AI-generated sites are changing what people expect from website builders.
• Public benchmarks could show whether WordPress is improving.
• Design systems give agents reusable building blocks.
• MCP could change how agents interact with WordPress.
• WordPress needs stronger opinions about how agents should use the platform.
• The Abilities API could become an important foundation for agentic WordPress.
• WordPress's open-source architecture creates both opportunities and challenges.
• The future may involve agents working alongside WordPress rather than entirely inside 

Important Links

• WooCommerce Developer Resources: https://developer.woo.com/
• Ollie: https://olliewp.com/
• Miles: https://buymiles.ai/
• WordPress.com: https://wordpress.com/
• WordPress.org: https://wordpress.org/
• WP-CLI: https://wp-cli.org/
• Subscribe to The WP Minute: https://thewpminute.com/subscribe
• The WP Minute Slack: https://thewpminute.com/support

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This edition of The WP Minute’s member meetup focuses on best practices for your vibe coding projects. GridPane’s Patrick Gallagher joined Eric and Matt to discuss the good, bad, and ugly of vibe coding plugins and apps with AI.

Patrick shows off a slide deck he generated from a single prompt in Claude Design, explains recent leaps in AI capability since OpenAI’s o1 Pro reasoning model, and the rising power of local open models. He also points out that persistent hallucinations continue to be an issue, underscoring the need for human accountability and multi-model “red teaming” to verify code and security.

You’ll also find takes on why AI tools rarely default to WordPress for site building, how negativity and training data may influence model choices, and why real product value still depends on execution, responsibility, and serving specific customer needs.

It’s everything you need to turn vibe-coded projects into usable products!

Editor's Note: GridPane is a Pillar Sponsor of The WP Minute.

Takeaways:

• AI can create substantial code and content incredibly quickly.
• Human expertise is still essential for verifying AI-generated work.
• AI models can hallucinate confidently, even when told not to guess.
• Developers should use multiple AI models to inspect and refine code.
• AI makes execution easier, allowing us to focus on real customer issues.
• Narrow, specialized WordPress products can still succeed by serving a specific audience.
• AI may replace simple utility plugins, but established products with support remain valuable.
• In-person communities may become more important as online discourse gets noisier and more negative.

Important Links:

• GridPane
• Artificial Analysis
• Connect with Patrick: LinkedIn | Twitter/X 
• The WP Minute+ Podcast: thewpminute.com/subscribe 

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This episode of The WP Minute+ is a conversation with Raquel, the organizer behind PressConf, about bringing the event to Europe for the first time.

PressConf EU is coming to Barcelona October 27–30, and Raquel explains why she believes the European WordPress community needs a space where people can have more open conversations about business, money, risk, and the future of WordPress.

Matt and Raquel also talk about the pressure facing WordPress businesses, why leaders need to make deliberate choices instead of constantly reacting to the latest industry changes, and what attendees can expect from the European event — including speakers, networking, and the intentionally unrecorded conversations that make PressConf different.

Takeaways

• PressConf EU is coming to Barcelona.
• European WordPress businesses need more open conversations.
• PressConf creates space for honest business discussions.
• WordPress businesses are facing more uncertainty.
• Raquel wants attendees to leave with confidence in their choices.
• WordPress needs more people willing to lead.
• PressConf EU will feature mostly European speakers.
• The event will include unrecorded sessions and facilitated discussions.
• PressConf EU runs October 27–30.

Important Links

• PressConf EU: PressConf EU
  
  

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It’s fair to wonder how AI is impacting WordPress. Are people switching to AI-based solutions in massive numbers? This week’s episode of The WP Minute+ podcast examines the role AI is (and isn’t) playing in WordPress market share shifts.

Matt chats with Within WordPress’ Remkus de Vries about the pressure WordPress feels from AI, shiny new tools, and bottom-of-market site builders, and why the real story is more complicated than “WordPress is falling behind.” Remkus argues that the ecosystem is changing fast. Still, the shift is less about WordPress failing and more about agencies and builders needing stronger positioning, better specialization, and a clearer understanding of the platform.

They also look at why accurate market data is so hard to pin down in an open web ecosystem, how open-source platforms complicate measurement, and why the future of WordPress may depend less on hype and more on fundamentals, education, and principled implementation.

Takeaways:

• AI is changing expectations, especially for simpler site-building workflows and entry-level users.
• WordPress is still strong because it is more than a CMS; it is a flexible platform for complex, extensible projects.
• Agencies and freelancers need clearer positioning now that “we build websites” is no longer enough.
• Open-web platforms are harder to measure than closed ecosystems, so many market-share claims should be taken cautiously.
• The future of WordPress depends heavily on fundamentals like performance, security, and real-world implementation knowledge.
• The Guild is designed to help builders and agencies keep up with WordPress changes through practical, structured education.
• Principle-first teaching matters because tools change, but underlying concepts stay useful longer.
• Cloudflare and edge caching were highlighted as practical performance improvements worth understanding.

Important Links:

• Within WordPress
• The Guild Wait List
• Connect with Remkus: LinkedIn | Mastodon | Twitter/X
• The WP Minute+ Podcast: thewpminute.com/subscribe 

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Advanced Custom Fields has been a developer favorite in WordPress for more than a decade. Now it’s getting ready for the AI era — without throwing away what made developers love it in the first place.

In this episode of The WP Minute, Eric Karkovack sits down with Iain Poulson, Senior Product Manager for ACF, to talk about where the plugin is headed and how AI is changing the way WordPress sites are built.

Iain breaks down what ACF 6.8 is laying the groundwork for, including the WordPress Abilities API, MCP, AI agents, and structured data with JSON-LD. He also explains how ACF can give AI tools a deeper understanding of a site's content model — potentially letting an agent create post types, taxonomies, field groups, and even populate content.

But the bigger story may be what ACF isn't doing. Rather than bolting a chatbot onto the plugin just because “AI” is hot, the team is looking at specific developer workflows where AI can eliminate tedious work. One example: suggesting the fields you probably need when creating a new field group, getting you from a blank screen to something useful much faster.

We also talk about the challenge of supporting ACF's massive existing user base while WordPress continues moving toward the block editor, why ACF Blocks 3 is important, and how the team is balancing innovation with backwards compatibility.

If you're an agency, freelancer, or WordPress developer who relies on ACF, this is a look at where one of WordPress's most important developer tools is heading next.

Takeaways:

• ACF is evolving for the AI era.
• ACF 6.8 lets AI tools interact with WordPress content.
• MCP could make managing WordPress sites with AI much easier.
• ACF is making structured content more useful to AI and search engines.
• ACF Blocks 3 gives developers more control over editing.
• ACF’s AI features will be opt-in and focused on real workflows.
• AI could make creating custom fields much faster.
• ACF still needs to support millions of existing sites.
• User feedback continues to shape the ACF roadmap.

Important Links:

• Pillar Sponsor / ACF Owner: WP Engine
• Iain Poulson on X: @polevaultweb
• ACF (Advanced Custom Fields) on X: @wp_acf
• ACF User Survey: ACF Annual Survey 

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There’s a narrative surrounding WooCommerce that it can’t scale as well as proprietary eCommerce platforms like Shopify. This episode of The WP Minute+ podcast aims to debunk that notion. Urumi AI CEO and co-founder Vedanshu Jain joined Eric to discuss the challenges and best practices for using Woo at scale. And it’s no surprise that AI has a role to play in keeping online stores running at peak performance.

Vendanshu also fills us in on his experience as a technical lead at WooCommerce and his transition to Urumi. The conversation also looks at the importance of open-source solutions within the eCommerce landscape.

Takeaways:

• WooCommerce can scale beyond perceived limits.
• Technical challenges in WooCommerce can be overcome with proper infrastructure.
• AI can significantly enhance performance and scaling.
• Caching is crucial for handling WooCommerce traffic.
• Bot traffic can be managed effectively with the right strategies.
• Urumi AI automates updates and maintenance for WooCommerce sites.
• Open-source platforms have advantages over closed systems.
• Dynamic scaling can reduce costs for eCommerce businesses.
• AI can identify and fix slow requests automatically.
• The future of eCommerce will heavily involve AI technologies.

Important Links:

• Urumi AI
• Connect with Vedanshu: LinkedIn 
• The WP Minute+ Podcast: thewpminute.com/subscribe 

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Are agencies still relevant in the age of AI? On this episode of The WP Minute+ podcast, Matt Medeiros and Cory Miller unpack the tension between AI, WordPress, and the future of agency work. They discuss why agencies still matter, how AI is changing client expectations, and how Hosting.com’s new agency partnership network aims to connect customers with trusted providers. From care plans to vertical specialization to the risk of losing curiosity in the AI era, this conversation explores what it means to be a technologist right now.

Editor’s note: Hosting.com is a pillar sponsor of The WP Minute.

Takeaways:

• AI is changing the sales process, but it has not eliminated the need for expertise.
• Agencies win by becoming guides, not just vendors.
• Industry specialization matters more as clients expect proof, not just promises.
• Care plans and ongoing support still have a strong role in the agency model.
• The best use of AI is to augment human judgment, not replace it.
• Hosting.com’s agency network is built to create referrals and relationships, not exclusivity.

Important links:

• Hosting.com
• Hosting.com’s Agency Partnership Application 
• Connect with Cory: LinkedIn | Twitter/X
• The WP Minute+ Podcast: thewpminute.com/subscribe