diff --git a/wp-includes/connectors.php b/wp-includes/connectors.php
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..85a92e31f9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/wp-includes/connectors.php
@@ -0,0 +1,280 @@
+<?php
+/**
+ * Connectors API.
+ *
+ * @package WordPress
+ * @subpackage Connectors
+ * @since 7.0.0
+ */
+
+use WordPress\AiClient\AiClient;
+use WordPress\AiClient\Providers\Http\DTO\ApiKeyRequestAuthentication;
+
+/**
+ * Registers the Connectors menu item under Settings.
+ *
+ * @since 7.0.0
+ * @access private
+ */
+function _wp_connectors_add_settings_menu_item(): void {
+	if ( ! class_exists( '\WordPress\AiClient\AiClient' ) || ! function_exists( 'wp_connectors_wp_admin_render_page' ) ) {
+		return;
+	}
+
+	add_submenu_page(
+		'options-general.php',
+		__( 'Connectors' ),
+		__( 'Connectors' ),
+		'manage_options',
+		'connectors-wp-admin',
+		'wp_connectors_wp_admin_render_page',
+		1
+	);
+}
+add_action( 'admin_menu', '_wp_connectors_add_settings_menu_item' );
+
+/**
+ * Masks an API key, showing only the last 4 characters.
+ *
+ * @since 7.0.0
+ * @access private
+ *
+ * @param string $key The API key to mask.
+ * @return string The masked key, e.g. "************fj39".
+ */
+function _wp_connectors_mask_api_key( string $key ): string {
+	if ( strlen( $key ) <= 4 ) {
+		return $key;
+	}
+
+	return str_repeat( "\u{2022}", min( strlen( $key ) - 4, 16 ) ) . substr( $key, -4 );
+}
+
+/**
+ * Checks whether an API key is valid for a given provider.
+ *
+ * @since 7.0.0
+ * @access private
+ *
+ * @param string $key         The API key to check.
+ * @param string $provider_id The WP AI client provider ID.
+ * @return bool|null True if valid, false if invalid, null if unable to determine.
+ */
+function _wp_connectors_is_api_key_valid( string $key, string $provider_id ): ?bool {
+	try {
+		$registry = AiClient::defaultRegistry();
+
+		if ( ! $registry->hasProvider( $provider_id ) ) {
+			_doing_it_wrong(
+				__FUNCTION__,
+				sprintf(
+					/* translators: %s: AI provider ID. */
+					__( 'The provider "%s" is not registered in the AI client registry.' ),
+					$provider_id
+				),
+				'7.0.0'
+			);
+			return null;
+		}
+
+		$registry->setProviderRequestAuthentication(
+			$provider_id,
+			new ApiKeyRequestAuthentication( $key )
+		);
+
+		return $registry->isProviderConfigured( $provider_id );
+	} catch ( Exception $e ) {
+		wp_trigger_error( __FUNCTION__, $e->getMessage() );
+		return null;
+	}
+}
+
+/**
+ * Retrieves the real (unmasked) value of a connector API key.
+ *
+ * Temporarily removes the masking filter, reads the option, then re-adds it.
+ *
+ * @since 7.0.0
+ * @access private
+ *
+ * @param string   $option_name   The option name for the API key.
+ * @param callable $mask_callback The mask filter function.
+ * @return string The real API key value.
+ */
+function _wp_connectors_get_real_api_key( string $option_name, callable $mask_callback ): string {
+	remove_filter( "option_{$option_name}", $mask_callback );
+	$value = get_option( $option_name, '' );
+	add_filter( "option_{$option_name}", $mask_callback );
+	return (string) $value;
+}
+
+/**
+ * Gets the registered connector provider settings.
+ *
+ * @since 7.0.0
+ * @access private
+ *
+ * @return array<string, array{provider: string, label: string, description: string, mask: callable, sanitize: callable}> Provider settings keyed by setting name.
+ */
+function _wp_connectors_get_provider_settings(): array {
+	$providers = array(
+		'google'    => array(
+			'name' => 'Google',
+		),
+		'openai'    => array(
+			'name' => 'OpenAI',
+		),
+		'anthropic' => array(
+			'name' => 'Anthropic',
+		),
+	);
+
+	$provider_settings = array();
+	foreach ( $providers as $provider => $data ) {
+		$setting_name = "connectors_ai_{$provider}_api_key";
+
+		$provider_settings[ $setting_name ] = array(
+			'provider'    => $provider,
+			'label'       => sprintf(
+				/* translators: %s: AI provider name. */
+				__( '%s API Key' ),
+				$data['name']
+			),
+			'description' => sprintf(
+				/* translators: %s: AI provider name. */
+				__( 'API key for the %s AI provider.' ),
+				$data['name']
+			),
+			'mask'        => '_wp_connectors_mask_api_key',
+			'sanitize'    => static function ( string $value ) use ( $provider ): string {
+				$value = sanitize_text_field( $value );
+				if ( '' === $value ) {
+					return $value;
+				}
+
+				$valid = _wp_connectors_is_api_key_valid( $value, $provider );
+				return true === $valid ? $value : '';
+			},
+		);
+	}
+	return $provider_settings;
+}
+
+/**
+ * Validates connector API keys in the REST response when explicitly requested.
+ *
+ * Runs on `rest_post_dispatch` for `/wp/v2/settings` requests that include connector
+ * fields via `_fields`. For each requested connector field, it validates the unmasked
+ * key against the provider and replaces the response value with `invalid_key` if
+ * validation fails.
+ *
+ * @since 7.0.0
+ * @access private
+ *
+ * @param WP_REST_Response $response The response object.
+ * @param WP_REST_Server   $server   The server instance.
+ * @param WP_REST_Request  $request  The request object.
+ * @return WP_REST_Response The potentially modified response.
+ */
+function _wp_connectors_validate_keys_in_rest( WP_REST_Response $response, WP_REST_Server $server, WP_REST_Request $request ): WP_REST_Response {
+	if ( '/wp/v2/settings' !== $request->get_route() ) {
+		return $response;
+	}
+
+	if ( ! class_exists( '\WordPress\AiClient\AiClient' ) ) {
+		return $response;
+	}
+
+	$fields = $request->get_param( '_fields' );
+	if ( ! $fields ) {
+		return $response;
+	}
+
+	if ( is_array( $fields ) ) {
+		$requested = $fields;
+	} else {
+		$requested = array_map( 'trim', explode( ',', $fields ) );
+	}
+
+	$data = $response->get_data();
+	if ( ! is_array( $data ) ) {
+		return $response;
+	}
+
+	foreach ( _wp_connectors_get_provider_settings() as $setting_name => $config ) {
+		if ( ! in_array( $setting_name, $requested, true ) ) {
+			continue;
+		}
+
+		$real_key = _wp_connectors_get_real_api_key( $setting_name, $config['mask'] );
+		if ( '' === $real_key ) {
+			continue;
+		}
+
+		if ( true !== _wp_connectors_is_api_key_valid( $real_key, $config['provider'] ) ) {
+			$data[ $setting_name ] = 'invalid_key';
+		}
+	}
+
+	$response->set_data( $data );
+	return $response;
+}
+add_filter( 'rest_post_dispatch', '_wp_connectors_validate_keys_in_rest', 10, 3 );
+
+/**
+ * Registers default connector settings and mask/sanitize filters.
+ *
+ * @since 7.0.0
+ * @access private
+ */
+function _wp_register_default_connector_settings(): void {
+	if ( ! class_exists( '\WordPress\AiClient\AiClient' ) ) {
+		return;
+	}
+
+	foreach ( _wp_connectors_get_provider_settings() as $setting_name => $config ) {
+		register_setting(
+			'connectors',
+			$setting_name,
+			array(
+				'type'              => 'string',
+				'label'             => $config['label'],
+				'description'       => $config['description'],
+				'default'           => '',
+				'show_in_rest'      => true,
+				'sanitize_callback' => $config['sanitize'],
+			)
+		);
+		add_filter( "option_{$setting_name}", $config['mask'] );
+	}
+}
+add_action( 'init', '_wp_register_default_connector_settings' );
+
+/**
+ * Passes stored connector API keys to the WP AI client.
+ *
+ * @since 7.0.0
+ * @access private
+ */
+function _wp_connectors_pass_default_keys_to_ai_client(): void {
+	if ( ! class_exists( '\WordPress\AiClient\AiClient' ) ) {
+		return;
+	}
+	try {
+		$registry = AiClient::defaultRegistry();
+		foreach ( _wp_connectors_get_provider_settings() as $setting_name => $config ) {
+			$api_key = _wp_connectors_get_real_api_key( $setting_name, $config['mask'] );
+			if ( '' === $api_key || ! $registry->hasProvider( $config['provider'] ) ) {
+				continue;
+			}
+
+			$registry->setProviderRequestAuthentication(
+				$config['provider'],
+				new ApiKeyRequestAuthentication( $api_key )
+			);
+		}
+	} catch ( Exception $e ) {
+			wp_trigger_error( __FUNCTION__, $e->getMessage() );
+	}
+}
+add_action( 'init', '_wp_connectors_pass_default_keys_to_ai_client' );
diff --git a/wp-includes/version.php b/wp-includes/version.php
index 4f0eb9ecf4..8afca573e4 100644
--- a/wp-includes/version.php
+++ b/wp-includes/version.php
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@
  *
  * @global string $wp_version
  */
-$wp_version = '7.0-beta1-61748';
+$wp_version = '7.0-beta1-61749';
 
 /**
  * Holds the WordPress DB revision, increments when changes are made to the WordPress DB schema.
diff --git a/wp-settings.php b/wp-settings.php
index 90741401e8..023cdccd5e 100644
--- a/wp-settings.php
+++ b/wp-settings.php
@@ -294,6 +294,7 @@ require ABSPATH . WPINC . '/ai-client/adapters/class-wp-ai-client-event-dispatch
 require ABSPATH . WPINC . '/ai-client/class-wp-ai-client-ability-function-resolver.php';
 require ABSPATH . WPINC . '/ai-client/class-wp-ai-client-prompt-builder.php';
 require ABSPATH . WPINC . '/ai-client.php';
+require ABSPATH . WPINC . '/connectors.php';
 require ABSPATH . WPINC . '/class-wp-icons-registry.php';
 require ABSPATH . WPINC . '/widgets.php';
 require ABSPATH . WPINC . '/class-wp-widget.php';