Most WordPress 'AI Search' Plugins Use Decades-Old Keyword Algorithms, Audit Finds

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A developer reviewed the documentation of nine WordPress AI search plugins to compare their actual methods against their marketing names. Several plugins branded with terms like 'AI,' 'semantic,' or 'vector' were found to rely on TF-IDF or BM25, keyword-ranking techniques developed in the 1970s. Plugins such as Relevanssi and FiboSearch were noted for transparently disclosing their keyword-based methods, while others used AI-suggestive names without claiming embeddings or vectors anywhere in their documentation. At least one plugin, AI Vector Search Semantic, defaults to TF-IDF on installation, with true vector search locked behind a paid upgrade. The audit highlights a gap between plugin naming conventions and the actual search technology described in their own product pages.

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