Hi @webkiwinz,Thanks for sharing these detailed points. These issues stem from specific environment constraints and error-handling gaps in the plugin’s current release:
1. WP-CLI File Truncation: This typically occurs when deeply nested vendor directories exceed the max path length during archive extraction. If you are deploying via CLI, a temporary workaround is installing directly through standard zip uploads in the WP Admin dashboard or manually moving the flattened directory via FTP.
2. API Key Rejection / Silent Failures: The current connector implementation lacks graceful fallback when HTTP requests fail (e.g., missing API headers or unhandled API responses). Adding diagnostic logging via error_log() inside the plugin’s HTTP client or hooking into http_request_rejected helps expose the exact status code from the Anthropic endpoint.
3. Admin Lockout (WSOD): The site crashes on cancellation because the option-saving hook receives an unhandled error object or false boolean. Safely checking data structures (is_wp_error()) prior to saving options prevents the fatal error. If you are currently locked out, renaming the plugin folder via FTP will restore dashboard access immediately.
Hopefully, these pointers help anyone troubleshooting.
No offence intended but having an AI tell me what’s wrong with the plugin isnt helpful. Fixing the plugin in is whats required.
why would I bother communicating if all I get is a machines responses.
No human interaction is just annoying.
it’s the equivalent of phoning my isp and getting the we can’t help you due to unexpected levels of calls and then a hang up.
The point made is that this code is not fit for purpose and code this flawed, and the AI identifies its seriously flawed, shouldnt be forced on clients. Goodness knows what security or performance issues it introduces.
shipped too early and too untested.
@webkiwinz this would have been much more appreciated as a support topic so we could help triage and work on resolution for any issues you’re seeing. Jumping right to a one star review is pretty frustrating for a team of contributors working hard to provide a wide set of AI experiments. Next time please open a support topic (or even better a GitHub issue) so the team can help you better.
@mdraabiul if you were able to replicate any of these issues, mind opening them in GitHub to the respective repo (https://github.com/WordPress/ai/ and https://github.com/WordPress/ai-provider-for-anthropic) so we can work on PRs to resolve (crediting you along the way)?
Thanks!
Jeff.
@jeffpaul – Normally I do but have found that process to be nothing but frustration and issues get closed down with no remediations. Unfortunately I have now been trained to complain as public complaint gets action (or gets you banned).
@jeffpaul Question. I just went to the git link you offered and the first thing I see is “This plugin is experimental. Features may change, move, or break. Use on Production sites at your own risk. It is recommended to test in a non-Production environment and follow the plugin’s development closely if adopting early.”
Why is code in this state part of a default WordPress install? Putting connectors ,into a WordPress core, that’s experimental and that you can’t opt out of its irresponsible.
I’ve lost multiple hours this week cleaning up after sites tanked and errors multiplied because WordPress CLI is broken and it tripped over this connector code that when the install was fixed, then errors so badly it completely borked a clients site. It’s not code we can opt out of. It’s in the core WordPress.
putting experiments in core is not good practice. Using live sites as beta testing, at best, is not good practice. Putting code that doesnt trap errors is bad practice. Considering the state of AI and its ability to slip its harness any connector code should be robust – not experimental.
These arent development issues GIT reports will fix, it’s a symptom of an organisational mindset that favours quality over quantity and forgets that cutting edge is called cutting for a reason. It makes you bleed. I think star ratings are the ideal place to feed back dissatisfaction.
@webkiwinz
Why is code in this state part of a default WordPress install?
The AI plugin, ahem, is not in core and not installed or activated until a site owner, like you, chooses to do so.
Putting connectors ,into a WordPress core, that’s experimental and that you can’t opt out of its irresponsible.
Not only CAN you opt out of the AI Connector plugins, again ahem, (e.g. Anthropic, Google, OpenAI), it takes a site owner, again like you, to decide to install those plugins. If you want to opt out of them, then deactivate and uninstall them like any other plugin.
putting experiments in core is not good practice.
I agree, that’s why none of the AI plugin’s experiments (nor for that matter, the Gutenberg’s plugin’s experiments) are in WordPress core. You need to install and activate a plugin AND THEN enable those experiments to make use of them.
