Learning objectives
By the end of this lesson, you will be able to:
- Identify the cloud and local AI provider options supported by WordPress
- Describe what each major provider offers in the context of WordPress AI features
- Compare cloud and local providers based on cost, privacy, and setup requirements
- Select a starting provider that fits your site’s goals and constraints
Cloud providers
Cloud providers process AI requests on external servers. WordPress supports three out of the box via the Connectors page.
- Anthropic generates text using Claude. It is well-suited for writing, editing, and content tasks. API access requires an account at https://console.anthropic.com/.
- Google generates text using Gemini and images using Imagen. It covers a broader range of media types. API access requires an account at https://aistudio.google.com/.
- OpenAI generates text using GPT and images using DALL-E. It is the most widely used option and has an extensive plugin ecosystem. API access requires an account at https://platform.openai.com/.
All three offer free tiers with usage limits, making it possible to get started without a paid plan. Costs increase with volume.
💡 Why this matters for you:
You only need one provider to activate the AI plugin’s features. Start with whichever one you already have an account for, or whichever free tier covers your expected usage.
Local providers
Local providers run AI models on your own hardware instead of sending requests to an external service. WordPress supports Ollama (https://ollama.com/) and llama.cpp (https://github.com/ggerganov/llama.cpp).
The main advantage is privacy: your content never leaves your server. There are also no per-request costs.
The main trade-off is setup complexity. Local providers require a capable machine, technical configuration, and ongoing model management. They are best suited for developers or site operators with a self-hosted environment.
Choosing a provider
For most site owners and content creators, a cloud provider is the right starting point. The setup takes minutes, the free tiers cover light use, and no server configuration is required.
Local providers are worth considering if your site handles sensitive content, if you have a self-hosted environment already in place, or if ongoing API costs are a concern at scale.
You can add more than one connector and switch between providers without reconfiguring your plugins. The Connectors page handles all of that centrally.
Key terms
| Term | Definition |
| Free tier | A usage level offered by cloud providers at no cost, with limits on the number of requests per day or month |
| Ollama | An open source tool for running AI language models locally on your own hardware |
| llama.cpp | An open source runtime for running large language models locally, optimized for efficiency on consumer hardware |
✅ Check your understanding
- Based on what you know about your site and how you work, which provider type seems like the better fit for you right now, and why?
- What would need to change about your setup or workflow for you to consider switching to the other provider type?
Up next: Practical: Connect an AI provider walks you through setting up a real provider connection using what you just learned here.