diff --git a/backport-changelog/7.0/11701.md b/backport-changelog/7.0/11701.md
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000000..48049f2db1eb61
--- /dev/null
+++ b/backport-changelog/7.0/11701.md
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+https://github.com/WordPress/wordpress-develop/pull/11701
+
+* https://github.com/WordPress/gutenberg/pull/77897
diff --git a/lib/compat/wordpress-7.0/class-wp-connector-registry.php b/lib/compat/wordpress-7.0/class-wp-connector-registry.php
index e6fbd2d5842c5f..bb4c0a8d619983 100644
--- a/lib/compat/wordpress-7.0/class-wp-connector-registry.php
+++ b/lib/compat/wordpress-7.0/class-wp-connector-registry.php
@@ -27,9 +27,9 @@
 	 *         constant_name?: non-empty-string,
 	 *         env_var_name?: non-empty-string
 	 *     },
-	 *     plugin?: array{
-	 *         file: non-empty-string,
-	 *         is_active?: callable(): bool
+	 *     plugin: array{
+	 *         file?: non-empty-string,
+	 *         is_active: callable(): bool
 	 *     }
 	 * }
 	 */
@@ -98,10 +98,12 @@ final class WP_Connector_Registry {
 		 *     @type array  $plugin         {
 		 *         Optional. Plugin data for install/activate UI.
 		 *
-		 *         @type string $file The plugin's main file path relative to the plugins
-		 *                           directory (e.g. 'akismet/akismet.php' or 'hello.php').
+		 *         @type string   $file      Optional. The plugin's main file path relative to the
+		 *                                   plugins directory (e.g. 'my-plugin/my-plugin.php' or
+		 *                                   'hello.php').
 		 *         @type callable $is_active Optional callback to determine whether the plugin
 		 *                                   is active. Receives no arguments and must return bool.
+		 *                                   Defaults to `__return_true`.
 		 *     }
 		 * }
 		 * @return array|null The registered connector data on success, null on failure.
@@ -234,8 +236,12 @@ public function register( string $id, array $args ): ?array {
 				}
 			}
 
-			if ( ! empty( $args['plugin'] ) && is_array( $args['plugin'] ) && ! empty( $args['plugin']['file'] ) ) {
-				$connector['plugin'] = array( 'file' => $args['plugin']['file'] );
+			$connector['plugin'] = array();
+
+			if ( ! empty( $args['plugin'] ) && is_array( $args['plugin'] ) ) {
+				if ( ! empty( $args['plugin']['file'] ) ) {
+					$connector['plugin']['file'] = $args['plugin']['file'];
+				}
 
 				if ( isset( $args['plugin']['is_active'] ) ) {
 					if ( ! is_callable( $args['plugin']['is_active'] ) ) {
@@ -252,6 +258,10 @@ public function register( string $id, array $args ): ?array {
 				}
 			}
 
+			if ( ! isset( $connector['plugin']['is_active'] ) ) {
+				$connector['plugin']['is_active'] = '__return_true';
+			}
+
 			$this->registered_connectors[ $id ] = $connector;
 			return $connector;
 		}
diff --git a/lib/experimental/connectors/default-connectors.php b/lib/experimental/connectors/default-connectors.php
index 2d08f162738004..5a2b48a6f3d570 100644
--- a/lib/experimental/connectors/default-connectors.php
+++ b/lib/experimental/connectors/default-connectors.php
@@ -31,7 +31,10 @@ function _gutenberg_connectors_init(): void {
 			'description'    => __( 'Protect your site from spam.', 'gutenberg' ),
 			'type'           => 'spam_filtering',
 			'plugin'         => array(
-				'file' => 'akismet/akismet.php',
+				'file'      => 'akismet/akismet.php',
+				'is_active' => static function (): bool {
+					return defined( 'AKISMET_VERSION' );
+				},
 			),
 			'authentication' => array(
 				'method'          => 'api_key',
@@ -201,6 +204,17 @@ function _gutenberg_register_default_ai_providers( WP_Connector_Registry $regist
 				}
 			}
 		}
+
+		if ( ! isset( $args['plugin']['is_active'] ) ) {
+			$args['plugin']['is_active'] = static function () use ( $ai_registry, $id ): bool {
+				try {
+					return $ai_registry->hasProvider( $id );
+				} catch ( Exception $e ) {
+					return false;
+				}
+			};
+		}
+
 		$registry->register( $id, $args );
 	}
 }
@@ -485,7 +499,7 @@ function _gutenberg_get_connector_script_module_data( array $data ): array {
 
 	$registry = \WordPress\AiClient\AiClient::defaultRegistry();
 
-	if ( ! function_exists( 'is_plugin_active' ) ) {
+	if ( ! function_exists( 'validate_plugin' ) ) {
 		require_once ABSPATH . 'wp-admin/includes/plugin.php';
 	}
 
@@ -525,22 +539,8 @@ function _gutenberg_get_connector_script_module_data( array $data ): array {
 
 		if ( ! empty( $connector_data['plugin']['file'] ) ) {
 			$file         = $connector_data['plugin']['file'];
-			$is_installed = false;
-			$is_activated = false;
-
-			if ( ! empty( $connector_data['plugin']['is_active'] ) && is_callable( $connector_data['plugin']['is_active'] ) ) {
-				$is_activated = (bool) call_user_func( $connector_data['plugin']['is_active'] );
-			}
-
-			if ( ! $is_activated ) {
-				$is_activated = is_plugin_active( $file );
-			}
-
-			if ( $is_activated ) {
-				$is_installed = true;
-			} else {
-				$is_installed = file_exists( WP_PLUGIN_DIR . '/' . $file );
-			}
+			$is_activated = (bool) call_user_func( $connector_data['plugin']['is_active'] );
+			$is_installed = $is_activated || 0 === validate_plugin( $file );
 
 			$connector_out['plugin'] = array(
 				'file'        => $file,
diff --git a/test/e2e/specs/admin/connectors.spec.js b/test/e2e/specs/admin/connectors.spec.js
index 404b6a387054ea..0e891d67a10cbe 100644
--- a/test/e2e/specs/admin/connectors.spec.js
+++ b/test/e2e/specs/admin/connectors.spec.js
@@ -53,7 +53,7 @@ test.describe( 'Connectors', () => {
 		);
 	} );
 
-	test( 'should display default providers with setup buttons', async ( {
+	test( 'should display default providers with install buttons', async ( {
 		page,
 		admin,
 	} ) => {
@@ -66,7 +66,7 @@ test.describe( 'Connectors', () => {
 		} );
 		await expect( pageTitle ).toBeVisible();
 
-		// Verify each connector card shows name as heading, description, and Set up button.
+		// Verify each connector card shows name as heading, description, and Install button.
 		for ( const { slug, name, description } of CONNECTORS ) {
 			const card = page.locator( `.connector-item--${ slug }` );
 			await expect( card ).toBeVisible();
@@ -86,9 +86,9 @@ test.describe( 'Connectors', () => {
 				headingId
 			);
 
-			const button = card.getByRole( 'button', { name: 'Set up' } );
+			const button = card.getByRole( 'button', { name: 'Install' } );
 			await expect( button ).toBeVisible();
-			// Set up button should not have aria-expanded until expanded.
+			// Install button should not have aria-expanded until expanded.
 			await expect( button ).not.toHaveAttribute( 'aria-expanded' );
 		}