Like everyone else, or at least most of us, I feel more than a little overwhelmed by AI, the most hyped acronym on the web (and pretty much everywhere else). This post is my personal take on using AI in my work as a WordPress developer — here and now, in spring 2025. It’s a pretty narrow view, but with a subject as broad (and fast-changing) as this, I decided to focus on just a snapshot. I’ll use “AI” loosely throughout this post. I know there are huge differences between types of AI, models, capabilities, etc.
My FOMO is growing into a full-blown monster that just won’t let go. What if the AI train is moving too fast for me? What if it’s already left the station, and I’m just tumbling through the air, flung by its sheer speed? The light speed evolution of AI — taking over everything, everywhere, all at once — is paralyzing. Every day brings new breakthroughs, wild tools, and jaw-dropping services…
So, yet another blog post about AI, but! Don’t worry — no AI-generated images will haunt you here. I’ll throw in a few random, no-AI shots from my real life here and there.
I’m Overwhelmed
Honestly, I’m starting to lose perspective. I can’t even begin to imagine where all this — LLMs, MCPs, and who-knows-what’s-next — is going. Will it end the web or revolutionize it? Will it benefit humanity or harm it? Will it make me obsolete as a developer (or even as a person), or will it open new doors? Maybe not even developer doors…
By using AI, am I digging my own proverbial grave? I feel I need to be a part of this revolution, although, the question still lurks in the back of my head.
So many questions, so few answers.
One thing’s for sure — a massive change is happening, and it’s going to affect everyone. Including me.
How I learned about the AI and how I included it in my work
Once upon a time (in the pre-AI era), my go-to resources were the WordPress.org documentation, scattered tutorials, blog posts, YouTube videos, Stack Overflow, etc. Some handy VS Code extensions helped too, like Hooks IntelliSense, WooCommerce autocomplete, and WordPress Snippets.
At that time, I was already struggling to hop onto another fast-moving train: the “new and shiny” (cough) Gutenberg editor in WordPress. I was knee-deep in documentation, trying to get comfortable with modern JS (ES6+), React, and the whole blocks concept. So when a couple of my coding questions actually got useful answers from ChatGPT, I was pleasantly surprised.
Next – the Codeium (now Windsurf), a VS Code extension that felt like IntelliSense on steroids. Suddenly, autocomplete worked everywhere. The “Explain” and “Refactor” options felt like getting superpowers overnight. Its chat sidebar previewed what was to come: VS Code with GitHub Copilot … and finally, the Cursor.
I quickly learned that AI wasn’t some magical problem-solver. When I asked more complex questions, I got hallucinated answers, made-up functions, and loops of confusion that went nowhere. But those experiences taught me something important: always verify, question, and demand explanations.
Since I’m a self-taught developer, I’ve had my fair share of knowledge gaps. Thanks to AI — and especially the way I interact with it — those gaps have shrunk. It became clear that using AI wasn’t just about getting code snippets; it was about learning. I refused to blindly apply solutions. I needed to understand. By asking for explanations and pushing deeper, I found myself navigating documentation better and learning more efficiently.
The result, so far, is two WordPress plugins:: WCSpots and Mosaic Product Layouts, both still evolving with every iteration.
What About WordPress and AI?
Since AI is everywhere now, it’s no surprise that WordPress has jumped into the mix too. From AI-powered plugins to the AI-driven site builder on WordPress.com, the ecosystem is changing fast.
And lately, things are getting even more interesting — and possibly more complicated. Now there are not anymore just Cursor, Windsurf, and others, as a coding assistants, the AI getting into WordPress itself – the WP Feature API, WordPress MCP and MCP Remote has arrived.
AI – replacement or enhancement?
Back to my general thoughts about “all that AI thing”…
Right now, I want to see AI as a powerful assistant — not a replacement. That’s what AI actually is to me, at least, at the moment. It’s helping me focus more on what I want to build and less on how to write every line of code. But I’m keeping a healthy skepticism. I double-check, I question, I try to understand — because I want AI to make me better, not dependent. I believe this is the right way to be involved with AI, generally, but – here goes my concern – not everyone will see it that way.
I don’t know where all this is going. I think nobody does. But I do know that, right now, I’m on the train — maybe not in the front car, maybe not driving — but I’m on it.
I remember the feeling when, decades ago (yeah, I’m that old), I was absolutely sure I must board the Internet train. That feeling is now here, again. I am sure I must be on the AI train, which I am, accelerating, and going who knows where.
This video by Elliot Richmond is pretty much aligned with my perspective on developing with AI – use cases, integration, best practices, security concerns, and a general philosophy around WP development and AI.
For now, I’ll just keep building, learning, and trying to stay human in the process.
And, I apologize for repetitive “train analogy” … 🙂
Leave a Reply