I’ve been trying to launch a WordPress theme for three months. Three months. The latest holdup? One AI-generated image.

Not a security issue. Not malicious code. Not stolen content. An abstract image I made in Midjourney that I’m giving away as CC0.

The latest message I got: “You said the image is AI generated but you need to provide the proof that the image that you’ve created should be GPL compatible. Can you show your source files are indeed CC0?”

The Impossible Request

Here’s the thing: I can’t provide “source files” for an AI-generated image because that’s not how AI generation works. There are no PSD layers, no RAW files, no paint-by-numbers proof. There’s a prompt and an output.

But let’s talk about what really bothers me here: the double standard.

If I painted something and said “I painted this, it’s CC0,” that would be enough. If I took a photograph and said “I took this photo, it’s CC0,” that would be enough. Nobody asks for video proof of me painting the painting or a photo of me taking the photo.

Traditional art gets trusted. AI art is guilty until proven innocent.

That’s not a policy. That’s a bias.

What Review Is Supposed To Protect

Let me be clear: I’m not anti-review. Review exists to protect WordPress users from:

• Malicious code
• Security vulnerabilities
• Actual copyright theft
• Harmful functionality

These are guardrails – things that prevent real harm. I’m 100% behind guardrails.

But this? This is a guideline masquerading as a guardrail. It’s ideological enforcement dressed up as user protection.

The legitimate question is: “Did you create this and do you have the right to license it?” I answered that. I generated it. I’m releasing it as CC0. Done.

Asking me to prove the unprovable isn’t protecting users – it’s making a statement about what kind of creation is “acceptable.”

The People We’re Losing

Here’s what keeps me up at night: How many people have we lost over stuff like this?

I can honestly say that if it wasn’t for my friendship with Matt, I’d give up and never submit a theme again. And I’m someone who’s been in this ecosystem for over a decade, who believes deeply in WordPress, who genuinely wants to contribute.

How many people without that relationship have already walked away? How many never even tried because they heard the horror stories?

Every person we drive away with inconsistent, ideology-driven review is someone who’s not making WordPress better. Someone who’s not creating something cool for the world. Someone who might have built the next breakthrough theme or plugin.

At what point does the harm from the process outweigh the benefit?

This Isn’t About Volunteers vs. Matt

I know exactly how this conversation will play out. Someone will say I’m being a dick to volunteers who are doing their best. Someone else will say the .org review process sucks and it’s all Matt’s fault.

Can we just… not?

This isn’t about personalities. The volunteers are doing what they think they’re supposed to do. The system is creating these situations. And yes, ultimately someone has to take responsibility for the system, but pointing fingers doesn’t fix anything.

What I Actually Want

I just wanted to make a cool theme and give it away to the world. Make something beautiful in a world that frankly sucks most of the time.

That’s it. That’s the whole goal.

But right now, the process takes the joy out of creation. It makes you feel like you’re fighting through bureaucracy instead of building for a community.

The Way Forward

Here’s what I think needs to happen:

1. Distinguish between guardrails and guidelines. Be crystal clear about what protects users from harm vs. what’s a stylistic preference or ideological stance.

2. Make the rules consistent. If we trust creators about traditional art, we need to trust them about AI art. If we don’t trust anyone, then require proof for everything – but be consistent.

3. Focus review on what matters. Security. Malicious code. Actual harm. Not ideological litmus tests about acceptable forms of creation.

4. Remember why we’re here. To make WordPress accessible. To democratize publishing. To enable people to build cool stuff for the world. Every barrier that doesn’t serve user safety works against that mission.

I’m Tired

I’m tired of fighting to contribute. I’m tired of watching the joy get sucked out of creation. I’m tired of seeing us drive away the exact people we need – the ones who just want to build cool stuff.

We’re in the middle of an AI revolution that’s going to change everything about how people create for WordPress. We can either embrace it, set reasonable guidelines, and help people build amazing things… or we can enforce ideology until everyone goes somewhere else.

I know which future I want.

I just want to make cool stuff. Can we please make that easier instead of harder?