Did you know that ChatGPT has now come to WordPress?
What is ChatGPT?
ChatGPT is an AI-powered language model developed by OpenAI.
It is a state-of-the-art language generation system that can generate human-like text based on the input it receives.
ChatGPT can be used for various applications, including chatbots, language translation, text summarization, blogging and more.
WordPress has added two new AI blocks to the Block editor. You can find them by searching for ‘AI’ in the block search bar.
While both blocks are currently only experimental, some bloggers have already used them. But what do these blocks do? Let’s take a look at them.
AI Paragraph
Open up a new draft post and title it with a question. Then, in the main body of the post, add the AI Paragraph block. Watch as it writes the first few paragraphs for you.
I asked the AI Paragraph block to write about the benefits of leaving comments on blog posts. This was the result.
Interstingly, it stopped midway through a sentence, so I added the block again and got more paragraphs.
Adding the block again, I got more paragraphs from it.
When I added the block for the fourth time, it repeated the text in the previous block.
The AI Paragraph block does exactly what it says it will do – write paragraphs. It won’t write a whole post.
It gives you a few draft paragraphs you can edit and work with. It’s worth noting that this block is currently experimental.
It also works on information contained within a post, which may be why it stopped working after three attempts. If I’d added more text, it would have looked at what I’d added and generated more paragraphs. The more information you give it, the more results you’ll get.
And you don’t need to ask it a question. If you’ve already written a post, add the AI Paragraph block, and it’ll come up with a few more paragraphs.
I also used Grammarly to check for errors and picked up grammar mistakes, suggestions and other errors with the paragraphs the AI block wrote, so it’s not perfect. Here’s what Grammarly picked up.
What’s also interesting about the AI Paragraph block is what WordPress say about it.
So it may be withdrawn at any time. That may happen, but I believe it’ll only be withdrawn so WordPress can improve what it does.
AI Image
Insert the AI Image block into a post and tell it what images you want to see.
I asked the block to show me images of Autumn in the countryside. These are the results it gave me.
I don’t know where the AI image block got these images, so copyright issues could exist.
It may have got the images from the free WordPress Image library, but I’m not sure. I’d recommend using free image websites such as Pixabay.Com in the meantime.
I also found the images not to be the best quality. However, remember that the block is currently only experimental, and it may be possible to improve the quality of images with the software you have on your device.
Another concern is that any images you use from the AI Image block are downloaded to your WordPress media library. Again, this causes concerns regarding copyright issues, but remember too that using images from the block will also take up space in your media library.
And like it’s sister block, the AI Image block could be tweaked or removed at any time by WordPress.
WordPress has left feedback links on both blocks so users can send feedback.
Is there a way of spotting content created by ChatGPT and AI blocks?
Yes, I believe there is. For example, a sudden change in how often a blogger publishes blog posts.
A user who only publishes a blog post once a month may start publishing content more often, maybe weekly or daily. This could be because they use ChatGPT or the AI block to write content. After all, these pieces of software have been created to save users writing time.
A change in the tone of the content a user usually uses in blog posts may also be a clue. I don’t know about you, but I get used to most bloggers’ writing styles. The style can change over time, but when it suddenly changes, it could signify that they’re using ChatGPT or the AI block to generate content.
You may also see a sudden change in the types of content a blogger publishes in a short space of time. Somebody who writes and publishes blog posts about men’s fashion, suddenly publishing content about the benefits of eating porridge, may have used ChatGPT or the AI block to generate the content.
Does it matter if bloggers use ChatGPT or the AI blocks?
Providing the information is engaging, edited, checked for mistakes and accurate, I see no reason why reading bloggers’ blog posts created with the help of ChatGPT or the AI blocks to produce blog content should matter.
If the content is engaging, it’ll make some readers want to comment.
Will ChatGPT and the AI blocks destroy blogging?
No.
While you may find some generated content uninteresting, the content generated by ChatGPT or the AI block may still be engaging.
Likewise, not all bloggers will use ChatGPT or the AI blocks to generate content. However, some may find it helpful when drafting blog posts.
And like reblogging farms (where the majority of content is reblogged posts), ChatGPT farms will also pop up.
Have I used ChatGPT in any of my blog posts?
Yes, once. The three sentences under my question ‘What is ChatGPT’ (at the beginning of this post) were created using ChatGPT.
The only change I made to the answer the ChatGPT bot gave me was to add the word ‘blogging’ to the last sentence.
Will I use ChatGPT again?
I may use it when I have a question. It acts like Google or other search engines, although only gives one answer. But I won’t use it to write whole blog posts.
Should I feel guilty for using ChatGPT or the AI blocks?
No. After all, many of us use Grammarly or other writing software to check for spelling, grammar and other mistakes. So my published articles have already been created with help from other sources. Likewise, by doing research, I’m getting help writing posts.
What is the future of the AI blocks on WordPress?
Given that ChatGPT is already making a breakthrough, I have no doubt that WordPress (as well as other companies) will use it and offer users ChatGPT blocks.
However, they may charge for using these blocks or make them free to use on specific plans. For example, the blocks may be free to use on the WordPress Premium plan but at additional costs on their free plans. Then again, these blocks may be free to use for all users.
Once the WordPress developers are happy with the performance, these blocks will get a permanent home on WordPress.
What about you? Are you afraid of ChatGPT? When drafting your blog posts, will you use ChatGPT or the WordPress AI blocks? Are you already using them? What have the results been? Why wouldn’t you use them? Do you think ChatGPT and the AI blocks will destroy the art of blogging and writing?
Join the discussion by leaving a comment that I can respond to with more than a ‘thank you.’
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Hugh's Views & News 
Hi Hugh,
Congrats. You won the Linky Party and will be featured on my site tomorrow.
I could not find the AI Paragraph as an option. Is it because I use WordPress.org?
I would be interested in reading your post about the JetPack app.
Janice
Thanks for the fantastic news, Janice.
Yes, it could be that it’s only available to WordPres.Com users or that they’re testing it out on their site before it becomes available to other bloggers. I’m sure we’ll be seeing much more about ChatGPT and AI in the blogging world.
Here’s a link to the post I did about the Jetpack App.
https://hughsviewsandnews.com/2023/02/20/should-i-switch-to-the-new-jetpack-app-or-stay-with-the-wordpress-app/
All this AI is very interesting, but I am leary of it and not 100% sure if it’s a good thing, but time will tell. Thanks for sharing on SSPS and I have share on SM
Like anything new, people are always wary of new things, Esmé. Some think AI and ChatGPT are the doorways to a brave, new writing world.
Thanks for sharing.
I do find this interesting because I had no idea chatgpt was in WordPress already. That doesn’t mean I’m going to use it LOL. For starters, I don’t even use the Gutenberg editor!
Regardless, as I’ve been learning about chatGPT, I’ve realized that it’s not something to draft anything and everything with, but to supplement writing with.
So that’s how I’ll be using it. Don’t get me wrong, I did try to draft 2000+ word articles with it… some of them were nice and some weren’t. But just like any content that gets created, it has to be fact checked. Plus, with the creation of robot checkers like “originality ai”, now it has to be modified to not sound like a robot.
Now to your question… I did worry about AI taking over content. But there will always be a marker for human written content because while AI can imitate it, it still drops the ball with the emotional connection it needs.
So I don’t see AI as an end all be all, but if it gets as good as human written content… then things could get scary.
I agree that ChatGPT and these new AI blocks are a supplement to help us with our writing (if needed).
I like the AI paragraph block but would only use it if I felt a post lacked something. And I’d certainly proofread and edit whatever it wrote for me. Robots can make mistakes, just like humans can.
Thank you for joining the discussion and adding your thoughts.
This was pretty incredible to read about Hugh. I had heard ChatGPT mentioned on a talk show a short time ago, but to see how it works is amazing. I don’t think I’ll use it because most of my posts are recaps of walks I’ve taken; the rest are in conjunction with the major holidays, so thankfully, I’ve not got writer’s block (in fact I write too long of posts). I’ll take it for a test drive tomorrow to see what it comes up with. Amazing tech world we live in today.
I’m sure the AI paragraph block will be helpful to some bloggers, Linda. However, I heard that WordPress is going to charge for using them.
I would not recommend anyone using the AI Image block until the copyright issues have been sorted.
That’s interesting to know Hugh. I heard one of our major banks (Chase Bank) here in the U.S. was going to forbid the use of ChatGPT in the workplace. I wonder in what capacity? Writing reports? Writing a company newsletter?
Many companies already use ChatGPT, Linda. Unfortunately, they have replaced employees with robots. I wonder how much further it will go. By the time my ‘best by’ date comes up, I think it’ll all still be unravelling. Many years ago, it was people on production lines in factories. Now many of them have already been replaced with robots.
I didn’t realize that companies used ChatGPT Hugh. I guess young people, unless they’ve studied for the medical or computer fields, may indeed worry for their future. I have a Mass Communications degree in Print Journalism (1978), but because the market was flooded with journalists after investigative reporters Woodward and Bernstein uncovered the Watergate scandal, there were no jobs to be had when I graduated. I never found a job to use my degree.
I did know that production lines in factories do well with robots – they don’t have to pay benefits for the workers, they never call in sick and it used to be they had a “spare” person to be available if someone on the production line was absent that day. Now a robot fills in. We have robots making deliveries from local sandwich shops and pizza places to campuses, where the students place their orders and don’t even have to go pick their food up. [I apologize for responding late to this and your other comment – we had a bad ice storm in our state Wednesday. I did not lose power as I have a generator but I lost my internet from Thursday a.m. until today.]
No need to appoligse, Linda. I’ve heard about the bad weather in North America.
Robots will certainly take more control of our everyday lives, meaning we will have more free time. But people still need to work so they can enjoy that free time. I hope a perfect balance is found.
Thanks Hugh … well we had more freezing rain yesterday which caused a problem with my internet, messing up my workday and by the time I left work, I was stressed and started to tackle comments/replies and just couldn’t, so I am doing it this morning before I start work. I could use a robot helper right now … for work. I am also having issues with my blog and the Happiness Engineers suggested clearing my WP cache … I will do this tonight. I should have reached out to you to ask if you recommend this or have a post, or maybe I can search on your help posts tab. Terri Webster Schrandt and I discussed recent WP issues and she mentioned she has an older theme, as do I … I certainly hope I do not have to change the theme. I also am running Windows 7 … I have a Windows 10 laptop, but have stuck with Windows 7 as I can remote into work where we have Windows 10. It is more my comfort zone to be honest.
Unfortunately, WordPress is retiring more of the older themes, Linda. They’ll continue working, but if any problems occur, there will no longer be any support. So I’m afraid there may come a time when you’ll have to change themes unless WordPress continues to support the one you are using. I’ll keep my fingers crossed for you.
Thanks Hugh – I hope so too. I picked the easiest theme when I set out ten years ago this month. The only things I have tweaked over the years is adding a few widgets and a photo gallery of fifty favorite shots, which I’ve not updated since I put it on there. I was hoping I wouldn’t need to change to a new theme until I was retired and able to devote a lot of time to it, but, as you say, it may be out of my hands.
Incredible question Hugh🙌🔥. ChatGPT is still new in the blogging world and it is a bit scary to believe that it can mimic a human being in the form of writing a blog but what gives me ease is the fact that ChatGPT has no soul and therefore as time goes people will grow tired of using it. Also, a blog needs to be written by a human being who uses emotions whilst writing and a blog that is human made is easily spotted than one that is written by a machine🙌
The advantage of ChatGPT is that it writes a blog post faster but it will never be the same as a human blogger who uses his or her own mind to write a good blog🙌
Thanks for your thoughts on this subject.
I believe the AI blocks will be of some help to bloggers. You can not write a whole blog post with the AI Paragraph block, but I agree with what you say about blog posts written solely with ChatGPT. I’m not sure we’ll spot all posts written solely by ChatGPT. Espically if it’s the first post we’ve read on the blog, it’s on.
Hi Hugh, I hadn’t heard much about these functions until recent posts by Donna and now you alerted me to it. It’s a really interesting issue and has a touch of Brave New World to it. I can see a use for it but probably won’t use it much in my posts – but who knows? I’ll experiment for sure! Thanks again for being at the forefront of blogging and sharing your knowledge.
You’re welcome, Debbie.
Although you may never use these new blocks, it’s good to know they are there if you need to check them out. However, I’d stay clear of the AI Image block until WordPress confirms that the images it produces are free to use and there are no copyright issues. I feel much safer using my pictures and photos on my blog posts.
Thanks for blogging about this. I didn’t know WP had ChatGPT blocks. When I first heard of ChatGPT, I was against it and thought it might lead to fake sites or even fake books. But I see now it can be used like Wikipedia or any other source. It may help with writer’s block or when you don’t know how to get started. I’d think most writers and bloggers would want to use it only as a tool and not write whole posts with it–they’d want their own voice and thoughts to come out in their writing.
I agree, Barbara. I think the majority of bloggers will use AI blocks as tools. However, some have already used ChatGPT to write whole posts. It’s mentioned in this post’s comments that one blogger published over 40 poems in one day using ChatGPT. Hopefully, that’s a rare occurrence.
First, let me say I like your theme (for selfish reasons).
As for the AI blocks, thank you for your thoughts.
Personally, I don’t see myself availing of them, but I admit some might find a use for them. I don’t say that because I’m imbued with any great talent but because of a personality quirk that keeps me from “asking for help” in content creation (or anything I do).
In that regard, I’m not sure I’d liken them to Grammarly (or ProWriting Aid) because they serve a different function. Likewise, I don’t equate photo editing tools as similar to the Art Generation function.
I’ve also looked a bit more into the copyright issue with AI-generated images (I’ll eventually update my post on the matter). I think the courts will find they don’t violate copyrights. That’s just a guess, of course.
Lastly, I hope they don’t include them as part of some plans because it will likely justify them raising the cost of the plans. Meaning, I would be made to pay for something I wouldn’t use (already a feature of the plans offered).
I suspect — and hope — that it will be an addon available to all for a fee. That would help keep the plans affordable for more people.
That said, it’s WordPress . . . I don’t have much faith in their good will toward their users.
Thank you. I’m glad you like it.
With regards to the copyright issues around the AI image block, a member of staff at WordPress has said this on the forums –
‘Currently, it is a beta feature, and I did not consult our lawyers, so the following is not a binding legal agreement:
A formal policy will be formulated once this feature is commercially available and we start charging for the API use. We will most likely pursue the wording that assigns all copyright to the site owner. We will most likely treat these images in a similar way as those uploaded by the site owner and may reserve some legal rights for compliance in certain regions. This would be a policy similar to one adopted by OpenAI:
OpenAI hereby assigns to you all its right, title and interest in and to Output. OpenAI may use Content as necessary to provide and maintain the Services, comply with applicable law, and enforce our policies. You are responsible for Content, including for ensuring that it does not violate any applicable law or these Terms.’
Given the above, I’d recommend not using the AI Image block and using one’s own images. It’s far safer. However, things (and will) do change.
The above statement also confirms that WordPress intend to charge for using these blocks, although by that, they may mean that it comes as part of one of their paid plans. We’ll have to wait and see.
I’m already on a paid plan and don’t use all the features of the plan, so personally, I much rather they include the blocks as part of their paid plans than at an additional cost.
I’ve never paid full price for any of their paid plans. I’ve either negotiated a price with them or taken up the discounts they offer every now and again (as was the case on Black Friday last November when they offered discounts of 40% on all their plans). Not only was I delighted with getting a 40% discount, but WordPress included the 3 months of the plan I was already on. So I’m now on a discounted paid plan that lasts until Februaruy 2025.
Well, the reason I like it is that it looks similar to the theme I’m using.
I have read WP’s statement regarding the copyright issue, but they don’t have a great track record in that regard (hint: reblogging).
As for the block’s copyright status, it can be boiled down to an example: I can read your post, and while I can’t copy it, I can say the exact same things using my own words. I can see a photo and recreate it to the point that it’s exactly like the photo in question without breaking any copyright laws.
I can’t copy your words or the photo I like and post them on my site, but that’s not what the AIs are doing. The AIs are creating unique stuff based on what they learned.
It will be interesting seeing what happens, but there’s already case law covering at least portions of what the suit that the artists filed is claiming. Even so, the artists aren’t claiming copyright to the created works, but rather that their intellectual property was used without permission to train the AIs (building the database they use). They seek compensation from Open AI and others, not those using AI-generated content.
As for the plans and costs, I’ve never negotiated pricing. Perhaps you wield more clout than others, but regardless, I don’t take special deals that aren’t available to others.
The Black Friday deals, yes, but even there, unless I’m mistaken (and it wouldn’t be unheard of), it was a deal for an upgrade, not an extension of current plans. For me, that would have meant upgrading to the business plan which, even with a 40% discount, would have meant a 25% increase over what I currently pay for my Premium plan.
Again, it’s possible I’m mistaken, in which case I missed an opportunity, but that doesn’t negate the fact that many bloggers already find the cost of paid plans outside their reach. The idea that WordPress would add features and lower the prices is a nice thought, but I don’t buy it.
The 40% discount WordPress offered were for all users. And you did not have to upgrade your plan to get the discount. I know of many bloggers who got the discount and stayed on their current plan. Plus, if your contract was not up for renewal, WordPress included the time you had had left. In my case, my plan was extended for 2 years and two months. I was delighted with that.
Thanks. I’ll pay attention to it this year, but I’m surprised that I misread it. I wonder if it was regional (UK and not US), but it could well be I’m just going senile.
As far as I’m aware, it was worldwide. I know of some bloggers who took advantage of the discounts in Canada and Europe.
So, senility it is, then. Drat.
Hi, Hugh – Thank you for sharing this tutorial and your thoughts on this topic. To learn more about ChatGPT and the WordPress AI blocks, my last two posts were AI-assisted. In What’s On Your Bookshelf, one of my eight book reviews was written in its entirety by ChatGPT. All but one reader indicated that they could not spot the difference. (Yikes, I hope this is not a comment on my writing style). Yesterday, I published a short post written by ChatGPT and the two AI blocks. While it was far from perfect, it was incredibly enlightening. I quickly learned that the quality of the prompts we give makes a huge difference.
The parting questions that you left us with are excellent. Out of interest, I cut and pasted those questions into ChatGPT and asked it to provide a short response. Here was its reply:
“As an AI language model, I don’t have emotions or feelings like fear, so you don’t need to be afraid of me. In terms of using me or WordPress AI blocks for drafting blog posts, it’s entirely up to the blogger’s preference and needs.
While AI tools like ChatGPT and WordPress AI blocks can be helpful in generating content ideas or even drafting content, they are not a replacement for human creativity, perspective, and writing skills. They can assist in the writing process, but they can’t replace the art of storytelling, crafting a unique voice, and connecting with an audience.
In my opinion, the rise of AI writing tools like ChatGPT and WordPress AI blocks will not destroy the art of blogging and writing but rather enhance it by making the writing process more efficient and accessible. It’s up to the blogger to use these tools wisely and strike a balance between automation and human creativity to produce engaging and high-quality content.”
Hi Donna,
Thank you for sharing your blogging experiences using ChatGPT and the AI blocks with us. It’s good to hear about somebody else who has tried both.
You mentioned that you used both AI blocks. Be wary about any images the AI Image block gave you, as I don’t know where they come from, and they could be licenced or copyrighted images. I’ve read many posts this week about images created by AI, and nobody seems to know whether they come with copyright infringement problems. Some images be free to use, while others may be copyrighted. Until I get a written guarantee from WordPress stating that the images produced by their AI Image block are free to use, I’m not using the block.
The answer to the questions you fed into ChatGPT are interesting. They made me smile, but I could not help but think something sinister lurks behind those words. I’ve probably watched too many movies with a similar theme and have allowed the dark side of my brain to takeover.
However, I do think ChatGPT and the AI blocks could be of help to many writers.
Thanks again for joining the discussion on this fascinating subject.
Hi, Hugh- Once again you have made great points here. I checked on the WordPress forum (https://wordpress.com/forums/topic/jetpack-ai/) and found this reply from staff: Who owns the rights to the images created?
Currently, it is a beta feature and I did not consult our lawyers, so the following is not a binding legal agreement:
A formal policy will be formulated once this feature is commercially available and we start charging for the API use. We will most likely pursue the wording that assigns all copyright to the site owner. We will most likely treat these images in a similar way as those uploaded by the site owner and may reserve some legal rights for compliance in certain regions. This would be a policy similar to one adopted by OpenAI:
OpenAI hereby assigns to you all its right, title and interest in and to Output. OpenAI may use Content as necessary to provide and maintain the Services, comply with applicable law, and enforce our policies. You are responsible for Content, including for ensuring that it does not violate any applicable law or these Terms.
Thanks, Donna. I saw that on the forums too. It doesn’t hold out much hope for using the AI Image block. I recommend using one’s own images for the time being.
Interesting to see that they intend to charge for these blocks, though. I wonder if the cost will be included as part of their paid plans, or will they charge separately for using them? My fingers are crossed that they’ll come as part of their paid plans.
Hi, Hugh – I will definitely be using my own images. I like to personalize them, and the current AI block images I was given an option of using were all of inferior quality (they looked computer made — at a very early stage of development).
Thank you again for your constructive insights on this topic. You raised a good point about whether WP will eventually charge separately for these AI blocks. My guess is that many of the AI-language-generating sites that we can now access free of charge will soon come with a fee (or at least a fee for ‘Premium’ use). I will watch with interest how this all develops from here.
I agree, Donna. Once those blocks are made better and are more reliable, I’m sure there will be a charge for using them.
I must admit, I haven’t heard of ChatGPT or A1 blocks. My initial thought was I don’t like the sound of it, but maybe it would be ok to give someone a kick start. It’s a bit scary to imagine how it might progress though…
Yes, what the future hoilds for ChatGPT and the AI blocks here on WordPress is something I wait for with anticipation. Many of us don’t like change, but sometimes it can benefit us.
Hi Hugh, the massive downside of artificial intelligence writers is the technology makes pretty generic content – this might be useful if you want to the facts content without the personality.
I ran a test of its ChatGPTs functionality on a post idea I’ve been putting off for a while as I wanted to see if it could do the heavy lifting, which I could finish off.
In the end it took my idea in a completely different direction to what I wanted it to be about so abandoned that plan.
The positive I can see from AI is that it could reduce your content being stolen – post thief’s do it for the quick wins, but at the cost of killing reputation. AI at least gives them something unique, even if it lacks the personal touch!
Thanks for your thoughts, James. It’s good to see you’ve already tried it out.
I like the idea of the AI Paragraph block much more than ChatGPT, as I think the block could occasionally help. I don’t intend to use it all the time and may only use it for a few short paragraphs, but I am pretty excited by it. However, I may change my view once I start using it more. We’ll see.
In the examples you give, it appears to me that ChatGPT is more reliable than Grammarly. 🙂 I found the content produced quite readable without any typos or grammar mistakes.
I think ChatGPT and IA are interesting concepts. They might come in handy when researching, learning, and writing articles. Not sure if I’ll ever use it in my blog posts as those always cover very personal topics. Unless ChatGPT knows me and my lifestyle, it probably won’t have much to add. 🙂
Interesting what you say about the suggestions Grammarly picked up, Liesbet. I’d have gone with most of the suggestions Grammarly gave, especially those written in a passive rather than an active voice. Grammarly led me to write more in an active voice, so it’s been of great help to me. However, I don’t go with all its suggestions – perhaps about 80%.
I recently read a post from a blogger about a personal trip to the Tower of London. After writing her post, she tried the AI paragraph block and added a few more paragraphs to her post. I agree these blocks won’t be for all, but, as you say, they add an interesting concept.
I’m not averse to these innovations (and no doubt a lot of the scares will be overblown) but if I succumb I will be saddened as the point of the blog was to develop my own writing. And if Chat or any other similar system starts to write like me I’d think the inmates have taken over the asylum. Maybe I should ask it to try writing a post without a pun in it; I’ve not yet managed.
I notice what you said to Willow about the jetpack – I’ll sort out, as my guru has opined (we are not worthy oh mighty one)
I had similar thoughts, Geoff, but then I compared it to using Grammarly, and thought the AI Paragraph block could help me in some cases, so I intend to try it every now and again. And, as you know, I love trying out any new blocks WordPress introduce. I won’t use ChatGPT to write whole posts; that’s a definite no-no.
I’m thinking about writing a post about the new JetPack app because quite a few bloggers have contacted me and asked for advice.