In the last few years, the surge of Artificial Intelligence (AI) has presented a unique set of challenges and opportunities for individuals and organisations alike. The Drupal community is no exception. This article delves into the integration of AI within Drupal, illustrating how this is reshaping the landscape of web development. Our solutions Architect, Jorge López-Lago, shares his valuable insights on the topic.
The growth of AI modules in Drupal
Drupal's journey with AI has been marked by a significant growth in the number of modules incorporating AI functionalities. As of now (November, 2023), there are 168 modules with AI capabilities, with 60% supporting Drupal 9 and/or 10. Half of these modules have reached stable, release candidate, or beta status, while one-fifth still needs code releases.
Today, Drupal 9 leads with 97 modules, of which 44% are stable. Drupal 10, however, is catching up fast, already encompassing 77 modules, of which 43% have achieved stability. This expansion has been driven by the advent of platforms such as ChatGTP from OpenAI, demonstrating Drupal's adaptability to the evolving landscape of AI technologies.
Current AI-driven functionalities in Drupal
Drupal's AI integrations span diverse functionalities, enabling virtually limitless possibilities. These include:
- Translations
- Content generation
- Frameworks and utilities
- Chat and support systems
- Image processing
- Natural language processing
- Speech-to-text and text-to-speech conversions
- Enhanced search capabilities
- Machine learning applications
- Content moderation
- Personalised user experiences
AI integration
Drupal's AI ecosystem benefits significantly from contributions made by major technology companies and AI service providers, including AWS, IBM, Google, Microsoft, OpenAI, and others. These contributions often involve funding the development of modules compatible with their AI services, enabling wider community use. Consequently, Drupal has integrated almost five dozen services into its modules, facilitating the use of various AI APIs. This includes support for large language models like ChatGPT-4, which powers conversational AI bots. Some of these Drupal modules are designed to be AI-agnostic, allowing for using any AI API or custom-built large language models. This approach not only ensures consistent implementation but also lays the groundwork for future enhancements and customisations in Drupal's AI capabilities.
Spotlighting interesting AI modules
Several AI modules within Drupal have gained prominence, including:
→ ChatGPT Content Assistant: Pioneering in integrating OpenAI, this module serves as a content generator, translator, and assistant, offering a range of functionalities from image creation to SEO optimisation.
→ OpenAI/ChatGPT/AI Search Integration: A comprehensive suite offering content generation, speech-to-text conversions, content moderation, and much more, leveraging OpenAI's capabilities.
→ Augmentor AI: A versatile framework allowing integration with various AI systems, offering a pluggable ecosystem for managing AI services.
→ Azure Cognitive Services API: This module integrates Azure's machine learning APIs, bringing advanced features like emotion detection and language understanding to Drupal applications.
→ Prompt AI: A flexible OpenAI integration tool working in tandem with the Drupal ECA module, allowing for custom AI-based actions.
→ Auto Node Translate: A framework facilitating automatic translations using various external APIs, enhancing Drupal's multilingual capabilities.
