WordPress.com Integrates AI via Model Context Protocol (MCP)
WordPress.com has introduced support for the Model Context Protocol (MCP), an open standard enabling AI assistants like Claude, ChatGPT, and Cursor to directly access WordPress.com site data. This innovation bridges a significant gap, allowing AI tools to securely communicate with a user's WordPress site, providing context to large language models (LLMs) without manual data transfers. Previously, AI assistants couldn't directly access real-time site details like post performance, traffic trends, or active plugins, necessitating cumbersome copying and pasting.
MCP transforms site management by offering “read-only” access to content, analytics, and settings directly within the AI tool. This facilitates faster workflows, eliminating the need for constant logins and navigating multiple dashboards. Key benefits include integrating all site content and insights into a single AI interface, enhanced efficiency, and robust security. WordPress.com emphasizes that MCP is “secure by design,” utilizing OAuth for safe access, ensuring no data is stored locally, and providing users full control to connect or disconnect at any time.
As the first WordPress host to support MCP with OAuth, WordPress.com makes this feature available to all paid plan sites. Users can enable MCP on their account, configure their AI application (e.g., Claude Desktop, Cursor, VS Code), and authenticate via OAuth. Specific examples of its utility include instantly getting performance insights for the latest post, running comprehensive health checks across multiple sites to identify issues with storage, performance, or content freshness, and summarizing recent comments to understand reader engagement. Future updates will introduce “write” access, further expanding AI assistant capabilities. MCP streamlines site understanding, allowing users to manage their WordPress.com presence more efficiently and securely within their preferred AI environment.
