=== Scientific AI SEO Writer ===
Contributors: scientificai
Tags: ai writer, seo, aeo, content writer, openai
Requires at least: 7.0
Tested up to: 7.1
Requires PHP: 7.4
Stable tag: 1.6.0
License: GPLv2 or later
License URI: https://www.gnu.org/licenses/gpl-2.0.html

Generate structured SEO/AEO-friendly WordPress articles using the WordPress AI Client.

== Description ==

Scientific AI SEO Writer helps WordPress editors create structured SEO/AEO-friendly articles from the WordPress dashboard.

Features:
* Uses the WordPress 7.0 AI Client and configured AI providers
* Unlimited manual article generation; provider usage and billing depend on your configured AI provider
* Provider-agnostic generation through the WordPress AI Client
* WordPress category selector for manual articles
* SEO title and meta description generation
* Quick Answer, key takeaways and FAQ generation
* Save generated articles as WordPress drafts for review
* Language, tone, article length and audience controls

AI-generated content can contain errors. Review generated content for accuracy, suitability and compliance with your publishing requirements before publishing it.


== External services ==

Scientific AI SEO Writer uses the WordPress AI Client included in WordPress 7.0+. The plugin does not connect to an AI provider directly and does not store AI provider credentials. WordPress routes generation requests to the AI provider configured by the site administrator in Settings → Connectors.

When an article is generated, the plugin sends the article brief through the WordPress AI Client. The brief can include the topic/content focus, primary keyword or keyword theme, secondary keywords, language, tone, requested length, target audience, and recent article titles supplied to avoid duplication. This data is sent only when the site user starts an article generation request.

If the site administrator configures OpenAI as the WordPress AI provider, WordPress may send that article-generation data to OpenAI. OpenAI provides the AI generation service under its applicable terms and privacy policy:
* OpenAI Services Agreement: https://openai.com/policies/services-agreement/
* OpenAI Privacy Policy: https://openai.com/policies/privacy-policy/

If a different AI provider is configured in WordPress, data is sent to that provider instead and is subject to that provider's terms and privacy policy.

== Frequently Asked Questions ==

= Do I need an AI provider? =

Yes. Configure a supported AI provider in WordPress Settings → Connectors. Scientific AI SEO Writer uses the WordPress AI Client rather than storing provider credentials itself.

= Does the plugin limit the number of articles I can generate? =

No. The plugin does not impose a built-in article-generation quota. Your practical usage is subject to the configured AI provider, its rate limits and billing.

= Does the Free plugin include Daily Auto Writer or automatic publishing? =

No. The WordPress.org Free plugin is a manual writing tool. Daily Auto Writer, automatic publishing, AI featured images and other premium automation are provided by a separately distributed Pro add-on.

= Does Scientific AI guarantee Google rankings? =

No. The plugin helps create structured SEO/AEO-friendly content, but no plugin can guarantee search rankings, traffic, indexing or inclusion in AI-generated answers.

== Changelog ==

= 1.6.0 =
* Fixed WordPress AI Client timeout handling for long article-generation requests.

= 1.5.7 =
* Removed provider-specific OpenAI endpoint detection and model selection; generation now relies entirely on the WordPress AI Client and the site-configured provider.
* Kept the longer article-generation timeout without referencing or calling a third-party AI endpoint directly.
* Expanded the External services disclosure with the data sent, when it is sent, and OpenAI terms/privacy links for sites that configure OpenAI as their WordPress AI provider.

= 1.5.6 =
* Increased the AI article-generation request timeout to prevent 30-second connector timeouts on longer generations.
* Keeps the Free admin menu simplified without a separate Scientific AI Settings submenu.

= 1.5.5 =
* Removed the extra Scientific AI → Settings submenu from the Free plugin.
* AI provider setup remains in WordPress Settings → Connectors.
* Updated Getting Started to link directly to WordPress Connectors.

= 1.5.4 =
* Migrated AI generation to the WordPress 7.0 AI Client.
* Migrated generation away from plugin-managed AI provider credentials to the WordPress AI Client.
* AI provider credentials are now managed through WordPress Settings → Connectors.

= 1.5.3 =
* Updated all Pro upgrade links to the Scientific AI SEO Writer Pro product page.
* Added the £15 per year Pro price to the contextual Pro feature card.

= 1.5.2 =
* Expanded the contextual Pro add-on card on the manual writer screen.
* Lists Daily Auto Writer, automatic publishing, recurring brief controls, one-click publishing, AI featured images, image controls, advanced GEO/AEO, SEO plugin synchronization, FAQ schema and post-level Pro tools.
* No Pro functionality was added to or gated inside the Free plugin.

= 1.5.1 =
* Removed Daily Auto Writer and automatic publishing from the WordPress.org Free plugin.
* Moved recurring automation to the separately distributed Pro add-on.
* Extracted shared post-saving helpers into a non-automation class for add-on compatibility.
* Clears legacy Free automation cron hooks after upgrading from older versions.
* Updated the readme and external-service disclosure for the manual-only Free workflow.

= 1.5.0 =
* Removed all built-in monthly article-generation quotas.
* Manual article generation is no longer disabled after a usage cutoff.
* Daily Auto Writer is available without a built-in monthly cutoff.
* Removed monthly usage counters and quota-based upgrade prompts.
* Added a detailed OpenAI external-service disclosure to the readme.
* Added explicit disclosure beside Daily Auto Writer that enabling it sends the configured brief to OpenAI on schedule.
* Reduced WordPress.org readme tags to five.
* Improved request sanitization in manual article generation.
* Escaped the masked API-key field output.
* Kept extension hooks required by the separately distributed Pro add-on.

= 1.4.2 =
* Upgrade-to-Pro links now point directly to the Scientific AI SEO Writer Pro landing page.

= 1.4.1 =
* Added visible Upgrade to Pro buttons in the Free usage panel, Auto Writer, Getting Started and plugin action links.
* Added a direct Scientific AI shop link so Free users can find the Pro version.

= 1.4.0 =

= 1.3.0 =
* Added extension hooks for one-click Pro article workflows and automatic post-processing.
* Improved generation status messaging for premium image/publish workflows.

= 1.2.0 =
* Added a Getting Started onboarding screen after activation.
* Added clearer first-article and Daily Auto Writer setup guidance.
* Added a warning on the writer screen when no API key is configured.
* Added product and support links to the onboarding screen.

= 1.1.1 =
* Manual article form remembers the last topic, keywords, audience, category, language, tone and length after generation.
* Added reasoning effort none for faster routine writing.
* Tuned maximum output-token limits by article length.

= 1.1.0 =
* Added Daily Auto Writer.
* Added automatic Draft/Publish choice.
* Added category selection for manual and automatic articles.
* Added recent-title avoidance for automatic articles.
* Added automatic run status logging.

= 1.0.1 =
* Added background generation and AJAX polling to reduce gateway timeouts.

= 1.0.0 =
* Initial release.
