Follow my WordPress newsletter https://thewpminute.com/subscribe

In this solo episode of the Matt Report, I explore a concept that’s as exciting as it is frustrating: innovation. I reflect on my experience with Podcasting 2.0—a grassroots, open source movement that parallels WordPress.org in spirit—and how it's slowly reshaping podcast RSS feeds with new, standardized tags. While the tech is minimal, the impact is massive. Apple's and Spotify’s recent adoption of the <podcast:transcript> tag is proof that slow, open source innovation can lead to real change—eventually.

That momentum brings me to a pressing question for the WordPress community: where is our innovation happening? I draw connections to the new FAIR initiative, a federated alternative to the WordPress.org plugin and theme repository. It’s promising, technically. But like all open source efforts, adoption is the hard part. FAIR could bring resilience and distribution freedom to WordPress, but the larger question looms: will it even matter in a world where AI generates code on demand?

I push back on the current pace of WordPress innovation, especially in light of AI's rapid evolution. If plain-English prompts soon build complete websites, what role will plugins and themes play? And how does a system like WordPress, which still relies on zip packages and install screens, keep up with a future where everything is delivered by prompt?

🔑 Key Takeaways

• “Innovation in open source is painfully slow—but when it clicks, it changes everything.”
• “FAIR is technically exciting, but adoption will determine its real impact.”
• “If the future of websites is built via prompts, how long do themes and plugins matter?”
• “We need a clear vision from Automattic and the broader WordPress leadership on where we go from here—especially in an AI-driven world.”
• “WordPress still has that 'old tech' stigma. Will we shed it before it's too late?”

🔗 Important Links

• Podcasting 2.0
• FAIR Project (via Linux Foundation)
• Matt Report