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Build an AI-Powered Content Generator in WordPress with ChatGPT API

Artificial Intelligence is transforming how we create and manage content — and WordPress, being the world’s most popular CMS, is leading that shift. Imagine writing entire blog posts, product descriptions, or SEO summaries with just one click.

With ChatGPT integrated into your WordPress dashboard, that’s exactly what you can do.

In this step-by-step guide, you’ll learn how to build a simple WordPress plugin that connects to the ChatGPT API and generates content directly inside your admin panel. Whether you’re a developer or a content creator, this tutorial will show you how to automate your writing workflow like never before.

What You’ll Learn

By the end of this guide, you’ll be able to:

  • Connect WordPress to the OpenAI ChatGPT API
  • Build a custom admin page for content generation
  • Dynamically create post content using PHP
  • Secure your API key and sanitize inputs
  • Extend the plugin with new AI-powered features

Step 1: Get Your OpenAI API Key

Before we start coding, let’s set up the OpenAI API.

  • Visit https://platform.openai.com
  • Log in or create a free account
  • Navigate to API Keys → click Create new secret key
  • Copy your key and store it securely

Pro Tip: Never share your API key publicly or include it in front-end scripts.

Add this to your wp-config.php file:

define('OPENAI_API_KEY', 'your_openai_api_key_here');

This ensures your key remains private and accessible only from your backend.

Step 2: Create Your Plugin Structure

Navigate to:

/wp-content/plugins/

Create a new folder named:

ai-content-generator

Inside it, add a file:

ai-content-generator.php

Add your plugin header:


<?php
/**
 * Plugin Name: AI Content Generator
 * Description: Generate AI-powered blog posts using ChatGPT directly from the WordPress admin.
 * Version: 1.0
 * Author: Your Name
 */

Step 3: Add an Admin Menu Page

We’ll create an admin page inside WordPress to enter a topic and generate content.


<?php
add_action('admin_menu', 'aicg_add_admin_page');

function aicg_add_admin_page() {
    add_menu_page(
        'AI Content Generator',
        'AI Content Generator',
        'manage_options',
        'ai-content-generator',
        'aicg_admin_page_html',
        'dashicons-edit',
        25
    );
}

function aicg_admin_page_html() {
    ?>
    <div class="wrap">
        <h1>AI Content Generator</h1>
        <form method="post" action="">
            <label for="topic"><strong>Enter a topic:</strong></label><br>
            <input type="text" name="topic" id="topic" style="width: 60%;" required>
            <br><br>
            <input type="submit" name="generate" class="button button-primary" value="Generate with ChatGPT">
        </form>
    </div>
    <?php

    if (isset($_POST['generate'])) {
        $topic = sanitize_text_field($_POST['topic']);
        $content = aicg_generate_content($topic);
        echo '<h2>Generated Content:</h2>';
        echo '<textarea rows="10" style="width:100%;">' . esc_textarea($content) . '</textarea>';
    }
}
?>

Now, when you open Dashboard → AI Content Generator, you can enter any topic (like WordPress caching best practices) and instantly get a generated article.

Step 5: Make It User-Friendly

Enhance the plugin UI for better usability:

  • Tone selector: Add a dropdown for “friendly,” “formal,” or “informative.”
  • Word count selector: Choose from 100, 300, or 600 words.
  • Insert to editor: Add a button to send content directly into the WordPress post editor.

Example dropdown addition:


<select name="tone">
    <option value="friendly">Friendly</option>
    <option value="professional">Professional</option>
    <option value="informative">Informative</option>
</select>

Modify your $prompt:

$prompt = "Write a 300-word {$tone} blog post about: " . $topic;

These small touches make your plugin more flexible and usable for all kinds of writers.

Step 6: Security & Best Practices

A few important things to keep your plugin safe and stable:

  • Never expose your API key to the frontend.
  • Sanitize all inputs using sanitize_text_field() or sanitize_textarea_field().
  • Use nonce fields in forms or AJAX requests to prevent CSRF attacks.
  • Add usage limits or permissions for multi-user environments.
  • Cache results if similar topics are requested repeatedly — saves API costs.

Step 7: Practical Use Cases

Your AI content generator can do more than just write blog posts. Try these ideas:

WooCommerce Product Descriptions

Automatically generate keyword-rich product titles and descriptions.

Blog Post Outlines

Ask ChatGPT for outlines or topic ideas before you start writing.

SEO Meta Descriptions

Generate unique meta titles and descriptions for each post.

FAQs Section

Create structured FAQ content for better SEO performance.

Step 8: Advanced Upgrades

Once your base plugin works, here are ways to take it further:

  • Save generated content directly as a draft post
  • Allow bulk content creation for multiple topics
  • Add image generation using DALL·E API
  • Integrate embeddings for smarter content suggestions

You’re no longer just building a plugin — you’re building your own AI assistant for WordPress.

Example Output

Input:

“Top WordPress SEO Plugins in 2025”

Output (AI-generated):

“If you want your WordPress site to rank higher, using SEO plugins like Rank Math, Yoast SEO, and SEOPress is essential. These tools simplify metadata…”

All that — written in seconds, ready for editing and publishing!

Conclusion

Congratulations — you just transformed WordPress into an AI-powered content machine

With only a few lines of PHP, you now have:

  • A custom admin panel for generating content
  • Secure integration with the ChatGPT API
  • A foundation for expanding into more AI-powered tools

The possibilities are endless — from automating SEO descriptions to building a full AI writing assistant plugin. Keep experimenting, and soon you might release your own WordPress AI plugin to the world.

Let’s Connect Beyond the Blog