WP Builds This Week in WordPress #362
Jan 20, 2026
Andrew Palmer, hosting lead at Atarim, and Marcus Burnette from Bluehost, share their insights on the future of AI in WordPress. They discuss upcoming changes with WordPress 7.0 and the dropping of older PHP support. The conversation dives into the implications of AI-generated plugins, community roles, and shifts in event management. Another highlight includes the decline in Stack Overflow traffic due to AI usage, raising concerns about community-driven content. The panel also emphasizes the importance of adaptation as trends evolve in the WordPress ecosystem.
AI Snips
Chapters
Transcript
Episode notes
Faster, Smaller WordPress Releases
- WordPress 7.0 aims for a return to three major releases per year with an April 9 target.
- Smaller release squads streamline coordination but concern some teams like documentation.
Migrate Off Deprecated PHP Quickly
- Update sites off PHP 7.2/7.3 before WordPress 7.0 retires support on April 9.
- Aim for PHP 8.x (8.2–8.3+) to stay compatible and secure.
Admin Feels More App-Like
- View Transitions will add smooth, app-like animations across WP admin screens.
- The feature improves perceived speed without necessarily preloading content.