Automattic Unveils AI Writing Tool to Enhance Readability and Brevity for WordPress Blogs

Automattic, the parent company of WordPress.com, has launched a new AI-powered tool aimed at helping bloggers write with greater clarity and conciseness. This innovation is part of a growing trend of writing assistants introduced by various companies, including privacy-focused app maker Proton and tech giant Google.

Named Write Brief with AI, this new tool complements Automattic’s existing generative AI writing assistant for WordPress, which was rolled out last year. That assistant aids users in creating content from text prompts and adjusting the tone of their writing to be more casual or empathetic. In contrast, Write Brief with AI focuses on enhancing existing content. Currently in beta, it is integrated into Jetpack—a suite of features that enhances the functionality of WordPress.com-hosted sites—and is also available as a plugin for self-hosted WordPress sites.

For now, Write Brief with AI is exclusively available for free to WordPress.com users during this initial beta phase, accessible via the Jetpack icon in the editor’s top right corner.

With Write Brief with AI, users receive feedback on their writing, such as being informed if they are using excessive wording. They can then click a "Suggest" button to simplify their sentences automatically. Additionally, the tool identifies language that may come across as uncertain—for example, the frequent use of words like "possibly" or unnecessarily complex vocabulary that could confuse readers.

On the right side of the screen, writers can view a readability score based on three key metrics: complexity, sentence length, and confidence.

While tools like ChatGPT have become synonymous with the generative AI landscape, Automattic holds a unique position as a major contributor to the web's infrastructure. The company plays a dual role as both a key player in the open-source, self-hosted WordPress project and the developer of the commercial WordPress.com platform. This strategic advantage suggests that the integration of AI technology into its widely used blogging platform could lead to broad adoption.

Automattic revealed that Write Brief with AI originated from an in-house hack week initiative. Following its internal success, the company recognized its potential value and opted to share it publicly. "We quickly realized how useful and beloved it became, prompting us to release it to the world," stated Automattic senior product designer Noam Almosnino in a recent blog post.

Currently, while the broader AI writing tool from Automattic supports a dozen languages, Write Brief with AI is only available in English at this time.