WordPress has added its name to the Open Weights and American AI Leadership letter, an open letter published on July 24, 2026, that asks US policymakers to hold off on early restrictions for open weight AI models. Open weight models are AI systems that anyone can download, inspect, modify, and run on their own infrastructure. More than 270 companies and organizations have signed the letter alongside WordPress.
WordPress Executive Director Mary Hubbard said WordPress is proud to support the letter, framing the decision as consistent with the project’s own history. WordPress has long argued that software improves when more people can study, run, and adapt it, and the letter applies that same logic to AI development.
What the Letter Asks For
The letter makes several specific requests of US policymakers, including:
- Expanding access to computing power for startups and researchers
- Investing in shared resources such as public datasets and evaluation tools
- Keeping multiple kinds of AI models available rather than letting the field narrow to a small number of closed systems
- Not treating common development practices, such as using one model’s output to improve another, as theft by default
According to the letter’s supporters, these requests mirror the conditions that have made open source software reliable for decades, where broad public participation helps test, improve, and secure shared technology over time.
Why It Matters for WordPress Site Owners
WordPress frames this as a continuation of the freedoms that have defined the project for more than 20 years, the ability for users to run, examine, and modify the software they depend on. As AI tools become more embedded in how people build and publish sites, WordPress argues that keeping open weight models available gives newer builders the same kind of open starting point that open source software has historically provided.
The announcement does not change any WordPress software, plugins, or hosting requirements. It is a policy statement rather than a product update, signaling where WordPress stands as AI regulation debates continue in the US.