So, what is the WordPress trend in the AI world? Growing, dead, or something more to understand? Also, brand new releases this week like FluentPlayer Pro, Modern Fields Pro, FormLayer, WP Rocket MCP, and WordPress 7.0.1 release.
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What’s Buzzing in WordPress 💖
- FluentPlayer Pro Launched… the newest product in the ‘Fluent’ line of products, FluentPlayer Pro is now available with features like advanced interactive layers, playlists, analytics, and more. Also, the launch one-time pay lifetime offer is available for a limited time.
- Sentinel for Site Monitoring… Adam Balee shared the Sentinel tool for site monitoring, useful for agencies and freelancers managing sites. It features checks for uptime, SSL expiry, DNS change, and domain expiry monitoring. Every endpoint gets all four checks, there are no per-seat fees, and pricing stays flat as rosters grow.
- FormLayer for Forms… got noticed new FormLayer plugin for creating forms, from the team at Softaculous. It promises easy to use intuitive drag-and-drop experience for creating simple contact forms to complex multi-step applications.
- xCloud + 30 days Free Security… xCloud users now get WordPress security powered by Patchstack for free for 30 days. This is possible through the Site Security PRO, powered by Patchstack, which helps protect your site as soon as a known vulnerability affects it.
AI Things: Otter Blocks, WP Rocket, & Yamidoo
Otter Blocks + AI Building… 3.2.0v update brings AI that can build full sections and pages. Also, a redesigned AI writing toolbar, AI form autoresponders, a completely rebuilt Design Library, a new Content Slider block, more reliable forms, and WordPress 7.0 support.
WP Rocket + MCP… Agathe Medvedieff shared (LinkedIn) on WP Rocket MCP (Model Context Protocol) release. This allows you to connect AI tools like Claude or Codex directly to your website’s real performance data and WP Rocket settings.
Yamidoo + Support Chat… Pavel Ciorici from WPZOOM shared (Links X) the first look of the AI-first customer support chat tool called Yamidoo. It works with any website platform, including WordPress. You can join the waitlist.
New Plugins: Fields, Git Sync, Recovery, Update Log
Modern Fields + Pro release… Maxime Bernard Jacquet has released pro version of the Modern Fields plugin. “I always dreamed of building a new kind of ACF, more suited to the modern WordPress, with a perfect integration into the block editor, by leveraging its native fields and components”.
Git Sync for WordPress… Artur Piszek shared (LinkedIn) about releasing the free Push MD – Git Sync for WordPress Content plugin in the repository. It allows you to clone supported WordPress content with a normal Git client. Also, edit posts and pages as Markdown.
Subscription Recovery for Woo… WPSubscription has a new addon called Subscription Recovery, which promises to win back customers. The moment someone’s subscription is canceled or expires, it automatically sends them an email with a discount so they have a reason to come back.
Updatepilot Update Log… Anushka Deshingkar shared (LinkedIn) about releasing her third plugin, Updatepilot Update Log, now available in the repository. It helps track WordPress Core, Plugin, and Theme updates in one place – eliminating the need for manual routines.
Extended WordPress Buzz 🔥
- DLX Plugins Closing… Ronald Huereca has decided to close DLX Plugins website as of October 1, 2026. Most of the paid plugins are being open-sourced and nullified – stripped of their licensing mechanisms. It was shared (Links X), “The reasons are mainly financial and I will try to find new owners for my free plugins”.
- Woosa Free Plugins Move… Jessica Risch over at Woosa has decided to make their dropshipping and marketplace plugins free for everyone, forever. This decision is a result of declining sales, Woosa Payments is growing massively, and AI bringing changes to the WordPress ecosystem.
- WP to SaaS Version… Barn2 Plugins has a popular Document Library Pro WordPress plugin. Katie Keith shared how (LinkedIn) this plugin was launched in the SaaS online tool format, where back-end is powered by WordPress multisite.
- Code for the People… David Prager shared (LinkedIn) about the Code for the People, a short documentary about the open web. Directed by Bao Nguyen, it features Matt Mullenweg, Linus Torvalds, Jensen Huang, Cory Doctorow, Jimmy Wales, and open-source builders from around the world.
- WP Community Support Deficit… Rae Morey over at The Repository shared about the WordPress Community Support recording a deficit of $372,000 – even though event attendance saw 27% rise. The WordPress Foundation’s 2025 financials show a $722,000 swing in the event subsidiary’s bottom line, and include a warning about WP Engine’s legal action.
- Patchstack + NodeJS Apps… the team at Patchstack is rolling out NodeJS/NPM vulnerability protection and supply chain security across all Patchstack web hosting & integration partners. Like Hostinger has introduced vulnerability management to NodeJS hosting through this partnership.
Core WordPress Updates & Buzz
WordPress 7.0.1 Maintenance Release is now available for download. This minor release fixes 31 bugs throughout Core and the Block Editor, addressing issues affecting multiple areas – including the block editor, admin UI, and media.
- Reverted: Classic Block will continue to appear in inserter in WP 7.1
- Merge Proposal of Design System Theming for broader consistency.
- Information on transitioning to rulesets in the Gutenberg repository.
- AI 1.1.0v with Type-ahead Text experiment for text suggestions.
- Tracking progress on moving from Meetup .com to GatherPress.
- Woo Updates
- WooCommerce 10.9.4 dot release is now available for download.
- Steps towards high quality contributions to WooCommerce core.
- Call for testing Settings UI support for WooCommerce extensions.
SEO Things: AIOSEO, SureRank, & Broken Link Checker
AIOSEO + SEO Alerts… 4.9.9v has introduced SEO Alerts feature where an email or Slack notification is sent the moment one of the specific SEO issue is detected on your website. Like robots .txt breaks during a server migration, plugin update accidentally sets your homepage to noindex, sitemap stops loading after a WordPress update, and so on.
SureRank + FluentCart… 1.9.2v has added SEO integration for FluentCart users. Also added comment link SEO improvements, where now SureRank redirects replytocom URLs and adds the right rel attributes to comment reply links.
Broken Link Checker + For Videos… 1.3.0v update checks for dead videos to ascertain if video is still live and accessible. It supports and check for YouTube, Vimeo, and 10+ other platforms and video links – that are scanned automatically as part of your existing check cycle.
Updates: Beaver Builder, WP 2FA, EventIn, ForthFocus SMS
Beaver Builder + Popups… 2.11v has introduced a new Popup Module for building popups directly in the visual editor. Also, added built-in Maintenance Mode, Settings Snapshots for one-click backups and restores, expanded responsive controls, custom HTML attributes, and performance enhancements.
WP 2FA + New UI… 4.0.0v introduced brand new user interface in WP 2FA, promising cleaner, more modern user experience across the setup wizard, plugin settings, navigation, and day-to-day configuration screens.
Eventin + Partial Refunds… the latest update of Eventin has introduced the ability to execute partial refunds allowing better financial flexibility. Also AI driven event management and reporting using the Aisentic AI Agent.
ForthFocus SMS + More Providers… 1.0.7v update has added top 5 SMS gateway providers in India to the ForthFocus SMS plugin. It is one of the very few plugins in India that provide multiple vendor support.
More: TutorLMS, Learnomy, Knowledge Base, & Optiontics
TutorLMS + Learner First Redesign… 4.0v is a big update with a learner-first redesign, enabling learners to stay focused, find what they need, and feel a genuine sense of progress to finish courses. Also, with mobile-first changes, it is easy to consume courses using phone.
Learnomy + Assignment Submissions… 1.6.0v introduces more flexible assignment submissions, allowing students to attach a video, audio, or document link to a submission instead of uploading a file. Also, improved certificate management for instructors.
Knowledge Base + Layout Mode… 3.1v update brings Documentation Layout Mode, which switches your knowledge base into a three-column docs layout: a sticky, collapsible section-tree sidebar on the left, your article content in the center, and an on-this-page TOC rail on the right.
Optiontics + Eventin… Optiontics has added Eventin Integration, allowing you to link product addons directly with Eventin to create seamless booking experiences. Also, event merchandise option like T-shirts (with size/color options), gear, and more.
Updates: WebberZone Snippetz, LinkCentral, & CraftForms
WebberZone Snippetz + Insert Snippet… 2.4.0v has introduced Insert Snippet Button, making it easier to add specific snippet for display. This button opens a modal with a dropdown of your published snippets, you can pick one and the plugin inserts the shortcode for you.
LinkCentral + Link Pages… LinkCentral has introduced an all new Link in Bio Pages feature. This allows users to quickly and easily create their own Linktree-style pages with built-in tracking.
CraftForms + Analytics… 1.5v has introduced analytics into CraftForms itself which enables you to see how your orders are performing without leaving the WordPress admin. Also, added a new ‘seasonal’ booking type to catalog items.
Quick Bits 👍
- New MotoPress Partners Directory open for WP agencies.
- Brian Coords shared (Links X) new WP VIP with block theme.
- How to test for accessibility? New docs is live for WCAG.
- Bud Kraus in conversation with Arpit G. Shah, as WC US organizer.
- Plugin ecosystem is dying? Some are, plenty aren’t (Links X).
- Declining plugin sales is real & not full story, by Matt Cromwell.
- Let’s Learn
- Rebuilt FooPlugins site with agent dev (Links X) in 3 weeks.
- Claude Code to build site, deploy on GitHub, xCloud, by Topher.
- Insights
- Why I spent 16 months turning flexible content into Blocks.
- How Getfused used Pressable MCP to triage 170 websites.
- Which tasks worth AI use in WP Dashboard? By Eric Karkovack.
- Why your agency must migrate to Gutenberg, by Frederic Sune.
Interest in WordPress is climbing back!
Brad Williams shared (Links X), based on Google Trends, WordPress search interest in 2026 is climbing back to 2017 levels. AI was supposed to replace it. Instead, AI creates content that still needs somewhere to live and WordPress remains the simplest publishing infrastructure at scale.
This was from Alex Bickov’s observation, AI was supposed to kill WordPress. The trend line disagrees. “WordPress was supposed to be the first casualty. It still runs around 43 percent of the web, and this year more people are searching for it, not fewer”.
AI in WordPress: 2026 Report by Siteground
The team at Siteground has published a report that examines the current state of AI adoption in WordPress by small businesses and what it will take to move from generic use to real value. Findings include: 78% of WordPress users now use AI daily, 41% of users need multiple attempts to get results, and 3000+ AI plugins fall short due to fragmentation and complexity.
Daniel Kanchev says, “In 2026, the gap between what’s available and what’s needed is where the biggest opportunity sits”. You can download the report for detailed insights on AI movement in the WordPress landscape.
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