The WP Minute’s WordPress Predictions for 2026

The WP Minute’s WordPress Predictions for 2026 🔗 **Source:** [The WP Minute’s WordPress Predictions for 2026](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=snAtUydZL3Q) > [!note]+ Document Notes > tags: [wordpress, predictions, community, wordcamp] > author: The WP Minute > source: YouTube > reference: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=snAtUydZL3Q > date created: 2024-12-24 14:30 > > # 🏷️ Title: The WP Minute's WordPress Predictions for 2026 >  ## 🧰 Action Inbox - [H1] Monitor WordCamp applications in community Slack — Asia-Pacific domination continues #community - [H2] Watch hosting AI feature wars unfold — pricing impacts agencies #hosting - [H3] Track plugin suite consolidation — impacts standalone products #development ## 🧭 Table of Contents - [📝 Summary](#-summary) - [📖 Main Content](#-main-content) - [🗒️ Notes](#️-notes) - [📚 References](#-references) - [🗣️ Paraphrase](#️-paraphrase) - [📰 Newsletter](#-newsletter) - [✅ Action Items](#-action-items) - [🧪 Hypotheses](#-hypotheses) - [📊 Methodology](#-methodology) - [❓ Questions](#-questions) - [🔮 Future Research](#-future-research) - [💡 Implications](#-implications) - [🧠 Learning Styles Assessment](#-learning-styles-assessment) - [📊 Accessibility Assessment](#-accessibility-assessment) - [🌍 DEIB Assessment](#-deib-assessment) - [✅ Logical Validity](#-logical-validity) - [🛡️ DARVO Analysis](#-darvo-analysis) - [🎯 Conclusion](#-conclusion) ### 🔗 References - [The WP Minute](https://thewpminute.com) - [WordCamp Central](https://central.wordcamp.org) ## 📝 Summary - **What happened**: Four WordPress community leaders share predictions for 2026 trends - **Why it matters**: Strategic planning for agencies, developers, and community organizers - **Key stakeholders**: WordPress community, hosting companies, plugin developers, agencies - **Risks and tradeoffs**: Community fragmentation vs. innovation, centralization vs. accessibility - **Bottom line**: Major shifts in events, AI integration, plugin consolidation, and community structure expected ## 📖 Main Content WordPress community experts predict significant structural changes for 2026. WordCamps face declining participation in Western markets while Asia-Pacific experiences explosive growth. Plugin developers are consolidating into suites (Fluent, Shorecart), potentially creating vendor lock-in scenarios for agencies. Hosting companies will compete heavily on AI features, driving up costs. The WP Engine/Automattic lawsuit resolution may trigger aggressive marketing pushes and potential acquisitions. Alternative WordPress events are filling gaps left by traditional WordCamps, though sustainability questions remain. ## 🗒️ Notes #### ⏱️ [00:00](https://youtu.be/snAtUydZL3Q?t=0) — [H1] WordPress predictions for 2026 - Key idea: Four community leaders predict major changes coming to WordPress ecosystem - Evidence: "It wouldn't be right if we missed out on predicting what's going to happen with our favorite content management system" #### ⏱️ [03:45](https://youtu.be/snAtUydZL3Q?t=225) — [H1] WordCamp restructuring prediction - Key idea: WordPress events will consolidate to fewer WordCamps and single flagship event - Evidence: "We're going to see a restructuring of word camps in 2026 to fewer word camps... groundwork for just a single big event" #### ⏱️ [06:20](https://youtu.be/snAtUydZL3Q?t=380) — [H2] Organic WordCamp decline reasoning - Key idea: WordCamp reduction will happen naturally due to organizer burnout and funding issues - Evidence: "It's going to organically happen and not because the powers that be want it to happen" #### ⏱️ [09:15](https://youtu.be/snAtUydZL3Q?t=555) — [H2] State of the Word production comparison - Key idea: Current WordPress events lack the grandeur needed for major brand representation - Evidence: "When I compare that to Tokyo last year... it felt like a grander experience" #### ⏱️ [12:30](https://youtu.be/snAtUydZL3Q?t=750) — [H1] Plugin suite consolidation trend - Key idea: Plugin companies creating complete suites that lock agencies into specific ecosystems - Evidence: "Houses that make plugins... starting to form suites that become like little fenced gardens" #### ⏱️ [16:45](https://youtu.be/snAtUydZL3Q?t=1005) — [H2] Agency vendor lock-in concerns - Key idea: Agencies risk getting trapped in single plugin vendor ecosystems - Evidence: "You make an investment in a certain line or vertical of plug-in company for the integrations" #### ⏱️ [21:20](https://youtu.be/snAtUydZL3Q?t=1280) — [H1] Hosting AI feature wars - Key idea: Hosting companies will compete heavily on AI-powered WordPress features - Evidence: "A lot of hosting companies are going to battle it out in 2026 over AI powered features" #### ⏱️ [24:10](https://youtu.be/snAtUydZL3Q?t=1450) — [H2] AI fatigue countertrend - Key idea: Mass adoption may trigger backlash toward simpler, analog approaches - Evidence: "I think there's going to be a mass flood away from AI due to AI fatigue" #### ⏱️ [28:35](https://youtu.be/snAtUydZL3Q?t=1715) — [H1] Alternative WordPress events growth - Key idea: Non-official WordPress events will fill gaps left by declining WordCamps - Evidence: "We're going to see more alternative WordPress events... it's happening now" #### ⏱️ [32:40](https://youtu.be/snAtUydZL3Q?t=1960) — [H2] Asia-Pacific WordCamp boom - Key idea: Asian WordPress communities show explosive growth reminiscent of early Western WordCamps - Evidence: "From AP pack they're blowing up... felt like going to Word Camp San Francisco 2012" #### ⏱️ [37:15](https://youtu.be/snAtUydZL3Q?t=2235) — [H1] Lawsuit settlement prediction - Key idea: WP Engine litigation will resolve, enabling Automattic's aggressive expansion - Evidence: "The lawsuit is settled and the gloves come off... we're going to see an all-out push" #### ⏱️ [42:20](https://youtu.be/snAtUydZL3Q?t=2540) — [H2] Jetpack investment significance - Key idea: Matt Mullenweg's investment in Devon Walker signals major Jetpack transformation - Evidence: "Matt investing in Devon and hiring him... that's going to be the thing that's put in front" #### ⏱️ [45:50](https://youtu.be/snAtUydZL3Q?t=2750) — [H1] WordPress maintenance AI disruption - Key idea: AI agents may erode traditional agency maintenance revenue streams - Evidence: "How much of that onboarding and WordPress maintenance intelligence do does the average user get" #### ⏱️ [48:30](https://youtu.be/snAtUydZL3Q?t=2910) — [H1] Lightning round bold predictions - Key idea: Awesome Motive hosting, Presconf Europe, Automattic acquires BeaverBuilder - Evidence: "I think awesome motive starts a hosting company... automatic buys BeaverBuilder" #### ⏱️ [51:15](https://youtu.be/snAtUydZL3Q?t=3075) — [H2] Major AI security incident prediction - Key idea: 2026 will see significant privacy or security breach related to AI systems - Evidence: "I see a major privacy/security incident coming with AI... some kind of big scandal" ## 📚 References - [WordCamp Central](https://central.wordcamp.org) - [WordPress Community Slack](https://make.wordpress.org/chat/) - [Fluent CRM](https://fluentcrm.com/) - [Jetpack](https://jetpack.com/) ## 🗣️ Paraphrase - WordPress events are consolidating due to organizer burnout and financial pressures, with Asia-Pacific markets thriving while Western markets decline - Plugin companies are creating comprehensive suites that may trap agencies in specific vendor ecosystems, similar to how page builders initially threatened freelancer business models - Hosting providers will compete aggressively on AI features, potentially increasing costs while creating both opportunities and maintenance disruption for agencies ## 📰 Newsletter **WordPress Community Predicts Major 2026 Shifts** The WordPress community is bracing for significant changes in 2026, according to predictions from WP Minute panel experts. Key trends include WordCamp consolidation, plugin suite lock-in, and hosting AI wars. **WordCamps Face Western Decline**: While Asia-Pacific WordCamps boom with energy reminiscent of early San Francisco events, Western organizers report burnout and funding challenges. Alternative events like Presconf are filling gaps. **Plugin Ecosystem Evolution**: Companies like Fluent and Shorecart are building comprehensive suites, potentially creating vendor lock-in scenarios. Agencies must balance integration benefits against flexibility costs. **AI Integration Accelerates**: Hosting companies will compete heavily on AI features, while WordPress core develops abilities API. However, AI fatigue may drive some users toward simpler solutions. **Resources**: - [Learn WordPress](https://learn.wordpress.org/) - Community training - [Developer Docs](https://developer.wordpress.org/) - Technical resources - [WP-CLI](https://wp-cli.org/) - Command line tools - [WordCamp Central](https://central.wordcamp.org) - Event applications ## ✅ Action Items #### DevRel - Monitor WordPress AI team progress: abilities API development, plugin integration opportunities - Track hosting AI feature development: GoDaddy Airo, Hostinger innovations, competitive analysis - Document community event trends: WordCamp applications, alternative event growth patterns #### Community - Support Asia-Pacific WordCamp growth: mentorship programs, resource sharing, success story documentation - Address Western WordCamp decline: organizer support systems, financial sustainability models - Evaluate alternative event formats: hybrid approaches, commercial viability, community value #### WordPress - Core AI: Monitor abilities API rollout, plugin developer adoption, user control mechanisms - Community: Track WordCamp application patterns, organizer retention, event sustainability - Marketing: Assess post-lawsuit communication strategies, brand positioning, developer outreach #### The WPCC - Programs: WordCamp organizer support grants, alternative event funding models - Projects: Community event sustainability research, organizer burnout prevention ## 🧪 Hypotheses - Plugin suite consolidation will increase agency efficiency but reduce ecosystem flexibility - AI-powered hosting features will differentiate providers but increase operational costs - WordCamp decline in Western markets reflects broader community maturation patterns - Alternative WordPress events can maintain community values while achieving financial sustainability ### 📊 Methodology - Survey agencies about plugin vendor preferences and switching costs - Analyze WordCamp application data from WordPress community Slack - Compare hosting AI feature adoption rates and pricing impacts - Track alternative WordPress event attendance and organizer satisfaction ### ❓ Questions - Can alternative WordPress events scale while maintaining community accessibility? - How will plugin suite lock-in affect WordPress ecosystem diversity? - What governance structures prevent AI feature lock-in at hosting level? ### 🔮 Future Research - WordCamp sustainability models for mature markets - Plugin ecosystem consolidation impact on innovation - AI integration patterns in open source communities ### 💡 Implications - **Practice**: Agencies need plugin vendor diversification strategies - **Policy**: WordPress.org may need alternative event recognition frameworks - **Security**: AI integration requires careful privacy and access controls - **Education**: Community needs training on vendor lock-in risks - **Funding**: Event organizers need sustainable revenue models ### 🧠 Learning Styles Assessment Reading level estimate: 12th grade #### 👀 Visual learners - **Present**: YouTube video format with multiple speakers - **Improve**: Timeline graphics of predictions, ecosystem diagrams #### 🔊 Aural learners - **Present**: Audio podcast format available - **Improve**: Timestamped audio chapters, prediction summaries #### 🗣️ Verbal learners - **Present**: Discussion format with multiple perspectives, technical term definitions - **Improve**: Glossary of WordPress ecosystem terms, analogy-rich explanations #### 🧩 Kinesthetic learners - **Present**: Actionable predictions with specific timeframes - **Improve**: Prediction tracking checklist, community participation guides #### 🧠 Logical learners - **Present**: Structured prediction format, cause-and-effect reasoning - **Improve**: Decision trees for agency choices, trend correlation analysis #### 🧑‍🤝‍🧑 Social learners - **Present**: Panel discussion format, community feedback requests - **Improve**: Community prediction sharing, organized debate forums #### 🧘‍♀️ Solitary learners - **Present**: Individual reflection prompts on predictions - **Improve**: Personal prediction tracking worksheet, self-assessment tools #### 🌿 Naturalistic learners - **Present**: Ecosystem thinking about WordPress community - **Improve**: Biological metaphors for community evolution, sustainability frameworks ### 📊 Accessibility Assessment #### Screen reader semantics - **Present**: YouTube auto-captions available - **Improve**: Professional transcript with speaker identification, heading structure #### Keyboard navigation - **Present**: Standard YouTube controls - **Improve**: Chapter navigation, skip-to-speaker functionality #### Contrast and readability - **Present**: High contrast video player interface - **Improve**: Transcript formatting with sufficient contrast ratios #### Media and captions - **Present**: Auto-generated captions - **Improve**: Professional captions with speaker names, sound descriptions ### 🌍 DEIB Assessment #### Cultural breadth - **Present**: US-centric perspective with Asia-Pacific awareness - **Improve**: Include predictions from European, African, Latin American perspectives #### Inclusive language - **Present**: Professional tone, defined technical terms - **Improve**: Plain language summaries, cultural context for examples #### Representation - **Present**: Mixed gender panel, diverse WordPress ecosystem roles - **Improve**: Include voices from underrepresented communities, global perspectives #### Psychological safety - **Present**: Respectful disagreement, collaborative discussion - **Improve**: Content warnings for business disruption topics, supportive framing ### ✅ Logical Validity #### Strong reasoning - **Deductive strength**: Event decline follows from organizer constraints and economic pressures - **Inductive strength**: Plugin consolidation pattern matches historical software industry trends - **Causal reasoning**: AI adoption driving hosting competition based on current market signals - **Analogical strength**: Asia-Pacific WordCamp growth compared to early Western market development #### Fallacies - **Appeal to authority**: Relying on panel expertise without external validation - strengthen with data - **Hasty generalization**: Western WordCamp decline may not represent global trend - clarify scope #### Tone of voice - **Overall tone**: Collaborative and speculative with industry insider perspective, balanced optimism and concern ### 🛡️ DARVO Analysis - **Deny**: No denial patterns observed - panelists acknowledge uncertainties - **Attack**: No attacks on community members or organizations - **Reverse victim/offender**: No victim/offender dynamics present - **Emotional cues**: Genuine concern for community sustainability, excitement about innovation ## 🎯 Conclusion The WordPress ecosystem faces significant structural changes in 2026, with community events consolidating while plugin vendors create integrated suites. Hosting companies will compete on AI features while Asia-Pacific markets drive global growth. Success requires balancing innovation with community values, vendor flexibility with integration benefits, and commercial sustainability with open source principles. Community leaders should prepare for both opportunities and challenges in this transitional period. ## 🧱 Refactor Appendix ### 📚 Literature Split Pad ### [H1] WordCamps decline organically in Western markets > [!quote] [The WP Minute's WordPress Predictions for 2026](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=snAtUydZL3Q) by [[The WP Minute]] via [[YouTube]]. Published 2024-12-23. Accessed 2024-12-24. > "It's going to organically happen and not because the powers that be want it to happen." Community organizers face burnout and financial constraints that make traditional WordCamp models unsustainable. [view highlight](https://youtu. --- ## Full Transcript [00:01] Welcome back to another special episode [00:03] of the WP Minute. As we hit the holiday [00:06] season, as the year comes to an end, it [00:10] wouldn't be right if we missed out on [00:13] predicting what's going to happen with [00:15] our favorite cont still our favorite [00:17] content management system, right? Heads [00:19] nodding. It's still our favorite. Yeah. [00:21] Okay. Uh I would be remissed to not talk [00:24] about the predictions for 2026 for our [00:27] favorite CMS, WordPress. Uh, welcome [00:30] Raquel, Eric, and Kurt to the program. [00:34] I have one of those. I have this. I have [00:36] that. Right. Does that do something? Um, [00:41] >> hey Ted. This is the highest level of [00:43] production uh that we can afford around [00:45] here. Raquel from Wonderland Curious and [00:48] also the um community advocate for the [00:52] WP Minute. [00:54] >> I like it. [00:55] >> I got that title right. Eric, uh, [00:57] managing editor and chief and [00:59] co-president, vice president, uh, [01:01] sometimes janitor and accountant and [01:03] writer and podcaster and videographer [01:05] and lesson in course creator at the WP [01:08] Minute. Welcome. [01:09] >> Thank you. I'm glad to be here. [01:10] >> Is that enough? [01:11] >> Too many titles for me though. [01:14] >> And Kervon Onen, co-star co-star of the [01:18] agency action podcast. Let me tell you [01:21] something, and I'm not just saying this [01:23] because it's part of the uh part of the [01:26] network. I don't miss a single episode. [01:31] >> I am I'm continuously shocked at the [01:34] brilliance that Toby brings to the [01:35] conversation. Every day, every time I [01:38] listen to that episode, I to an episode [01:40] of Agency Action uh podcast, I think to [01:45] myself, how do I get Kurt away from the [01:49] other podcasts that are out there that [01:51] he does? How how can we get more Kurt? [01:56] >> You're you're on the right path so far, [01:58] Matt. [02:00] >> You need to tweet that. How can we get [02:02] more Kurt? And it's funny, I was also [02:04] when I was listening today, and I don't [02:06] know if you do this on on purpose, but [02:08] um and maybe this is just a me thing. [02:11] It's probably just a me thing, but I [02:13] when you do one of the voices of like [02:16] like that alter ego of like the person [02:18] who's like questioning you, I always [02:19] feel like it's Jonathan's voice. [02:22] >> You do that. Do you do you do that on [02:25] purpose when somebody's like, "I'm not [02:26] going to pay $500 for this website." I'm [02:28] like, "He's doing Jonathan." [02:30] >> Is it all right if I pop around? [02:34] Oh man, it's fantastic. [02:35] >> It is fun. [02:37] >> Uh predictions. U listen, I have some [02:40] predictions in my head. We're going to [02:41] go around the room talking about [02:42] predictions. If you're out there uh [02:44] listening to this or if you're out there [02:46] watching this on YouTube, leave your [02:48] comments below. Um and let us know what [02:50] your predictions are. If you're [02:52] listening to the audio version and uh [02:54] you want to just tweet at us. You can [02:56] tweet at any of us on the panel uh or at [02:59] the WP Minute. Get your predictions in. [03:01] We'll share them in the newsletter. If [03:03] you're in the WP Minute community, uh, [03:06] leave a comment wherever you're looking [03:08] at this link and we'll get you in the [03:10] newsletter for predictions for your 2026 [03:14] predictions. I'll go first. [03:18] Okay. I'll go first and I'll try to [03:20] steal one that I think is one that I've [03:23] been harping on uh for a long time and [03:26] it's going to be the hot take. It's [03:29] going to be the one that Raquel is going [03:31] to flip the desk over. [03:33] >> Yay. No, [03:34] >> her and I have talked about [03:36] >> her and I have talked about this before. [03:39] >> I think we're going to see a [03:41] restructuring of word camps in 2026 to [03:46] fewer word camps. [03:50] and and it might it's obviously not [03:51] going to happen in 2026, but we'll see [03:54] the groundwork for just a single big [03:58] event for WordPress moving forward. [04:03] You want to jump on that one, Raquel, on [04:04] any thoughts and feedback of that crazy [04:06] prediction? [04:08] >> Uh, yeah, first of all, way to run into [04:12] my lane just now. [04:14] >> Well, I mean, it's fine. We we can we [04:16] can No, it's all good. [04:18] >> Merge. Uh yeah um I don't disagree where [04:23] I think [04:25] the the prediction is going to implement [04:28] is that it's going to organically happen [04:31] and not because the powers that be want [04:34] it to happen. I know for sure there's a [04:37] push to bring word camps back and I I [04:42] personally feel all sides of that. Like [04:45] they're just especially in North [04:47] America, they're just not really. I I [04:49] will say Canada is doing its best to [04:52] keep it alive. Um but it's just such a [04:56] different beast now. And you know in a [04:59] lot of the ways that WordPress itself is [05:02] growing up. A lot of us that have been [05:05] in WordPress a long time who have [05:06] organized word camps for a long time are [05:08] also growing up. I think about the [05:11] during the beginning and the middle of [05:14] the recession, you know, the housing [05:16] crisis and how like co-working blew up, [05:20] you know, and it was such an amazing [05:22] time. And a lot of the co-working I was [05:24] involved with you pay with social [05:26] capital a lot like our open source [05:28] community. [05:30] And then all of a sudden they those [05:32] types that model of co-working died [05:34] because people just got to the point [05:35] where they could no longer pay with [05:37] their time and talent and they wanted to [05:39] just pay with actual money. [05:42] >> And that's the hard part that we're [05:44] seeing with events. And I know that even [05:47] from my own personal experience when I [05:49] asked about alternative WordPress events [05:52] and thoughts around it, uh responses [05:55] have been like questioning the intent of [05:57] those who are organizing it. And as [05:58] someone who full disclosure hosts one of [06:01] those events, [06:03] the intent is because we're spending a [06:05] lot of time and effort into an amazing [06:08] amazing event and we're doing it for [06:10] free and at the end of the day need to [06:13] make a living. So, how do you marry that [06:17] and bring more word camps when there's a [06:20] little bit of burnout? There's a little [06:22] bit of discourse within our community [06:24] and it's really hard to get people to [06:27] want to do that for free even though we [06:28] believe in open source and we believe in [06:30] WordPress. So, I don't know if that [06:32] helped. I just said a lot more. [06:34] >> Yeah. No, it I mean so my thought [06:36] process is I interviewed um uh Miriam [06:41] Schwab yesterday from Elementor. That [06:43] episode won't be out yet, but I did a [06:45] recap of State of the Word and I look at [06:48] State of the Word as Apple Day. Like, [06:50] you know, if I was in Matt's shoes and [06:52] I'm using this as the most prominent uh [06:55] event, and well, actually, Raquel, you [06:57] were there, right? And here's what I [06:58] didn't know. [06:59] >> You know, for those of us on the outside [07:01] who just watched the live stream, first [07:02] of all, the live stream kept breaking, [07:04] which Miriam said was a problem with the [07:06] internet at the Salesforce tower where [07:08] the event was. Um, but when you compared [07:12] that, because this is what I did in my [07:13] recap, when I compare that to Tokyo last [07:15] year, like Tokyo was on a stage, there [07:18] was an orchestra or, you know, a a [07:21] collection of instruments and people [07:22] were playing them right alongside of it. [07:24] Um, it felt like a grander experience. [07:28] And when I saw that, even though the [07:30] temperature of WordPress back then was [07:31] like, I don't know what's happening [07:32] here. Um, I me just like observing it [07:36] was was going, okay, this is the [07:37] direction we're moving in. [07:40] And from the outside looking in to this [07:42] event, it looked like we rented some [07:44] office in the, you know, back corner of [07:47] some accounting firm. Yeah, the view was [07:49] great, but it didn't look anything [07:51] special. But then Miriam told me, and [07:53] maybe you can just fill in a few of the [07:55] blanks, that you weren't allowed to take [07:56] any pictures and like showcase. And she [07:59] said like it was actually really nice. [08:01] It was like some nice, it was a nice [08:02] spread. There was a nice venue. It [08:04] looked good. there was like some art [08:05] stuff that you could interact with or [08:07] something like albums that you could [08:08] take with you or something like that. [08:10] Um, and she just said that yeah, like [08:13] there it was great but on the live [08:15] stream it just looked kind of cheap and [08:18] me wanting the best representation of [08:20] WordPress [08:22] that live stream wasn't it, you know, in [08:25] my opinion. But but it was pretty good. [08:27] I, you know, boots on the ground boots [08:29] on the ground. It was it was good. [08:32] >> Yes. Um, actually I'm like I could show [08:35] you guys the the vinyl I printed. Um, [08:38] yeah, that was a fun little interactive. [08:40] They just had old vinyl records. I [08:42] wonder if they were from Amoeba. I feel [08:44] like Eric, you would know what I'm [08:45] referring to when I say Amoeba, but uh [08:48] yeah, duh. Yeah, but that was fun. You [08:50] got to like Actually, I ruined a shirt [08:52] cuz you you use um vinyl paint and I got [08:55] some on my my top, but whatever. And the [08:58] space was really nice. It was really [09:00] high-end, upscale. Uh but to your point, [09:03] there wasn't a stage, you know, and it [09:06] did look a lot like meetups that I've [09:08] hosted here in the valley like at the [09:10] GoDaddy new tower, you know, it was [09:13] similar. I will say definitely nicer [09:15] Salesforce tower. Uh but and there yeah, [09:18] really wasn't much of a stage, but the [09:21] production itself felt still, you know, [09:24] state of the word. And there were some [09:26] parts of it that I really enjoyed like [09:28] the I call it the tech bros program [09:31] network the but I don't think that's [09:32] what it's called. It's just the TBPN. [09:34] Yeah. [09:35] >> Yes. Yes. Yes. [09:36] >> Yeah. That part was really cool. I uh I [09:40] liked that. And yeah, it was I mean [09:45] Yeah. I would say too it was pretty [09:47] tame, right? The the event itself there [09:51] wasn't really anything salacious. I [09:52] would say even at Word Camp Canada, [09:54] there was more there was even some more [09:56] like insightful words that were used [09:59] where I didn't really see anything at [10:01] all at state of the word. [10:04] >> All right, let's keep the predictions [10:05] rolling. I'm going to kick it over to [10:07] Kurt [10:09] >> and I just [10:09] >> You have a prediction, Kurt. [10:11] >> Pick something out of my own head, [10:12] right? [10:14] >> Just pick something out of your own [10:15] head. 2026, what does WordPress bring [10:17] us? [10:18] So, I'm looking at a couple of houses [10:22] that make plugins and how they're [10:24] starting to form suites that, if we're [10:27] not careful, become like little fenced [10:29] gardens, right? Um, [10:32] I love I love WP Managed Ninjas and [10:35] their products. I use them as an agency, [10:37] but now they've got like this whole [10:39] suite and it's it's kind of forcing [10:42] people in the agency space to be like [10:45] we're a fluent house or if you're with [10:48] Adam and his team, you know, you're a [10:49] Shorecart house, right? And so cuz [10:51] Shorecart just released that that CRM [10:54] tool and so you've got the CRM, you've [10:57] got the cart, you've got the the SEO on [10:59] their channel, right? Right? So they've [11:00] got their own SEO product and I think [11:03] from an agency perspective, it's almost [11:06] forcing us into these channels where you [11:09] make an investment in a certain line or [11:11] vertical of of plug-in company for the [11:14] integrations and for the functionality. [11:17] And then I feel like I feel like if [11:20] we're not careful, it'll stifle us on [11:23] what's really possible with what we can [11:25] do because we'll find our comfort level [11:26] in that vertical, right? Right? Like [11:28] they say the riches are in the niches [11:29] and the fear is that you'll get into [11:31] that niche and then you'll just be stuck [11:32] in that spot. Right. And then I have [11:35] another if the show goes long enough I [11:37] have I have another prediction but that [11:39] that'll that'll be different. [11:40] >> Yeah. Um let me just unpack that one a [11:42] little bit. I'm curious on how you see [11:45] that see Fluent is a great example [11:47] because they have a ton of products. I [11:49] mean they are able to uh develop and [11:51] iterate at uh break neck speed and I was [11:54] looking at their community plugin or [11:57] product and I know I know it's like it's [11:59] not just community it also does like [12:01] courses and stuff like that. So and what [12:02] I'm curious from your perspective as a [12:05] lifter uh LMS uh representative user uh [12:08] advocate and uh agency developer for it. [12:12] Um, I'm wondering like how you think [12:13] that impacts, you know, the the the [12:16] plugins that that don't have all these [12:18] other features but are like really great [12:20] at courses like Lifter LMS does. And [12:23] then like you said, if an agency starts [12:24] using all things fluent, what does do [12:27] they start going, "Yeah, you know what? [12:28] Maybe I maybe I don't go with the lifter [12:30] anymore because now I'm all bought in [12:31] over here." Like how do you think that [12:33] impacts the standalone, highly crafted [12:36] products? [12:37] That's interesting because I had that [12:39] direct conversation with Chris Badget, [12:41] you know, who who owns Lifter LMS and uh [12:44] him and I are friends and so we we talk [12:46] a lot. So I can't disclose like [12:48] everything, but I can tell you that in [12:50] working with Chris for the last over [12:52] half a decade, he he doesn't care about [12:55] competition. He literally doesn't care [12:57] about competition. He's I think Lifter [12:59] LMS has grown in the space enough like [13:02] it it was competing with Learn Dash [13:05] really well and then Learn Dash just [13:07] kind of stopped developing new features [13:09] a while ago. So and and Lifters kept [13:11] developing and so I think it puts them [13:13] in this unique space where like when WP [13:16] managed ninjas, you know, Juel and his [13:17] team come out with Fluent Cart almost [13:19] instantaneously they come up with an [13:22] automatic integration in the Lifter LMS. [13:24] it, you know, Fluent Community [13:26] automatically integrates with Lifter [13:27] LMS. And I think for the plug-in [13:29] companies that have had a product that [13:32] becomes, I don't want to say ubiquitous [13:34] in use because Lifter is not there yet, [13:36] right? But it's but it's big enough that [13:38] people want to be a part of that train [13:40] rather than Chris and the team trying to [13:43] struggle to get on other teams. You know [13:44] what I mean? It's like the it's like the [13:47] the playing field's just a little bit [13:48] different. It's like the home field [13:50] advantage. And [13:52] I personally think it's kind of cool [13:55] that courses are in the community tool, [13:57] but I've never used it because I have an [13:59] awesome tool like Lifter LMS at my [14:01] disposal and the integration was [14:03] automatic and the membership tools in [14:06] Lifter LMS were more [14:10] more adoptable. They're more intuitive [14:12] than the membership tools in these other [14:14] platforms. And so people that like [14:16] Lifter are going to say, "Well, I like [14:17] the membership plat. I like the lip [14:18] membership. I like the course management [14:20] tools, you know, all that makes sense. I [14:22] just needed that community element or I [14:24] just needed a a shopping cart that [14:26] wasn't as heavy or complex as as Woo at [14:28] the moment. And so I have a feeling that [14:31] people are be driven that way. [14:32] >> Yeah, Eric, any thoughts on that uh [14:35] before I kick it to you for your [14:36] prediction? Predictions? [14:38] >> Yeah, I think it's it's interesting. I [14:40] mean, there are advantages to having [14:41] that suite of tools, right? Because one [14:44] of the problems I've run into over the [14:46] years is that you're bringing in [14:48] products from how many different vendors [14:49] and you want them all to work together. [14:51] First of all, that's a technical [14:53] challenge. And then grabbing data from [14:55] those multiple places has always been [14:57] kind of a pet peeve of mine. Uh, for [15:00] example, I've worked on membership sites [15:02] that have also used Woo Commerce and [15:04] that have used uh Learn Dash as well. [15:07] and trying to grab data from all of [15:09] these different places into one report [15:11] is like pulling teeth. AI makes it a [15:14] little easier, but it's still difficult. [15:17] I think when you have a suite like this, [15:19] it actually maybe [15:22] makes it a little easier to grab that [15:24] data that you need. So maybe that's just [15:25] a little different perspective on it. [15:27] But I can also see like as an agency, [15:29] yeah, you kind of get siloed into this [15:31] one [15:33] ecosystem and it's hard to get out. And [15:35] what if it gets sold? What if something [15:38] goes wrong with it? Um, then you're kind [15:40] of stuck with all this software that may [15:42] not be as good as what it used to be and [15:45] you got to start migrating clients over. [15:47] So, it's kind of a calculated risk [15:49] either way, I guess. [15:51] >> Yeah. All right, Eric, let's kick it to [15:53] you for your prediction, your your first [15:55] prediction for 2026. [15:57] >> Okay. So, I'm going to go with AI [15:59] because, you know, that's what we do at [16:00] the WP Minute. We just talk about AI. [16:02] That's that's all we do. [16:05] AI mail. But but in this particular [16:08] scenario, I'm thinking that a lot of [16:11] hosting companies are going to kind of [16:12] battle it out in 2026 over AI powered [16:17] features. I mean, we're seeing it with [16:18] GoDaddy. Hostinger has their own. I [16:22] think that's going to be kind of the [16:23] next um way for these companies to kind [16:26] of differentiate themselves. I know um [16:29] and hopefully we're going to have an [16:30] upcoming episode on the uh WordPress AI [16:32] team, but one of the the things that [16:35] they've posted about recently is is [16:37] maybe hosts making an AI platform [16:40] available through their through their [16:42] service and that be that would be [16:44] something that um WordPress could hook [16:46] into. So I think I think there is going [16:49] to be a bit of a race in that area so [16:51] that these companies, you know, who's [16:54] going to have the better AI model, who's [16:56] going to be more useful and and you [16:59] know, improve workflows and and make it [17:01] easier to use WordPress. Um, you know, [17:04] it could be all of those things inside [17:05] and outside of WordPress. I think that [17:07] might be kind of the next big uh hosting [17:10] war we see. [17:13] >> Prices will probably go up. [17:15] >> Oh, yeah. [17:17] No doubt about it. [17:19] >> Yeah. Raquel, did you have a remark on [17:21] that? [17:23] >> Well, I mean, I definitely was going to [17:24] comment on from a technical side from a [17:26] user POV that you know, a lot more AI. [17:30] And it's interesting you say that, Eric, [17:32] cuz [17:34] uh gosh, feel like I'm not trying to [17:37] make any plugs here, but that's the a [17:39] lot of what we're dealing with right [17:41] right now with like sourcing all of our [17:43] speakers and topics for Prescom. And a [17:47] lot of it is somehow ending up in this [17:49] like hosting world and how it affects [17:52] WordPress. [17:53] And I haven't even thought about that [17:55] part yet. And I was like, damn. [17:58] So I don't disagree. Um because AI as it [18:02] is is is like at state of the word the [18:05] AI team talked about how it's almost [18:07] like cat years or dog years in that like [18:10] the 6 months since the team formed has [18:13] felt like 6 years and how much they got [18:15] done and it's just moving so fast and I [18:19] I feel like something we're not even [18:21] looking at with hosting and then all of [18:22] a sudden we're going to be like there it [18:24] is and the prices are increased and okay [18:26] what who did what you know? So, that is [18:29] super valid. And now my head's spinning. [18:32] I I'm I'm curious like how like where [18:34] the where the battle is won for AI uh [18:39] and WordPress because the abilities API [18:42] stuff sounds really interesting like oh [18:45] we can you know plugin developers and [18:47] theme authors can hook into this [18:49] abilities API which allows your whatever [18:53] chatbot of choice to like hook up to [18:55] your I mean I know we're months probably [18:58] many months away from this happening but [19:00] this whole ability these API things [19:02] sounds fun and and exciting, but then [19:04] that just like opens the door to I don't [19:07] know, you know, Kurt, you were talking [19:09] about on the agency action podcast, I'm [19:12] not giving somebody admin access and [19:14] then not getting paid and then [19:15] delivering them because they can install [19:16] plugins and I know what that snowball [19:18] effect is. I see the same thing [19:19] happening for plug-in like my day job at [19:22] Gravity Forms. If all of a sudden you [19:24] can do whatever you want with your [19:26] chatbot and Gravity Forms, now we're [19:28] what? we're going to be on the hook to [19:30] to like, well, my AI bot said it should [19:32] work, you know, fix it. And it's like, [19:34] wait a minute now. Like, how far are we [19:36] going with unleashing AI onto WordPress? [19:40] I mean, theoretically, that same thing [19:42] can happen now because you can say, hey, [19:44] Gravity Forms, my developer broke my [19:46] site, but can you please fix it? You [19:49] know, and I think we're okay with that [19:50] because we normally go pretty deep on [19:52] the support side of things. But if all [19:54] of a sudden everyone's doing it with [19:55] chat GPT, what does that mean for us? [19:58] And what does that mean for like agency [20:00] owners that you know, you ship the site [20:02] to somebody and all of a sudden they [20:03] said, "Hey, Kurt, I it didn't design my [20:05] site right." And you're like, "I didn't [20:06] tell you you could do this." [20:07] >> Yeah. See, that's where the contrarian [20:09] mindset of me comes in. Um, a lot of [20:12] people are excited about AI. I use AI [20:14] every day. I just did a lunch and learn [20:16] for the Chamber of Commerce on the [20:18] practical use of AI for business. Like [20:20] I'm not I'm not scared of AI, but I [20:23] don't want average users using AI. I [20:25] just don't. And and so um I actually [20:28] feel like maybe it's not 2026, maybe [20:32] it's 2027 before it really starts we [20:34] start to see it in mass, but I think [20:37] there's a core group just like we talk [20:39] about the inner community at WordPress. [20:41] And then you figure out how many people [20:42] actually use WordPress, how many people [20:43] are in the community, right? um how many [20:45] people actually use WordPress when we [20:47] look when we look at the broad scope of [20:49] it. I think there's going to be a mass [20:51] flood away from AI due to AI fatigue and [20:54] everything getting confused and layered [20:55] with AI that people are going to be [20:57] driven to more of an analog, you know, [21:00] design and publishing standpoint, [21:01] especially for small business. Like if I [21:04] run a dry cleaning business or a coffee [21:06] shop or something, I I don't want AI and [21:08] all this stuff in there. I just I just [21:10] want my menu people to buy the stupid [21:12] drinks and pick them up at the counter. [21:14] >> You know, it's interesting you mentioned [21:16] that because [21:18] I I we we were having a discussion on [21:20] Blue Sky the other day about um [21:22] technology that um teens are into now. [21:26] And I have a 16-year-old daughter. She [21:28] was very excited to get her first MP3 [21:30] player the other day that her [21:32] grandfather bought her. And I'm thinking [21:35] like I'm all streaming now, you know, [21:37] like we I grew up with LPs and then CDs [21:40] and cassettes and then streaming. She is [21:43] she loves records. She loves this MP3 [21:47] player. And there was a discussion going [21:49] on about people, young people [21:51] especially, kind of going away from this [21:54] overly complicated tech that just kind [21:56] of o runs our lives now and wanting to [22:00] get back to something more useful and [22:02] and maybe simple. And I could certainly [22:05] see people getting AI fatigue and just [22:08] saying, you know what, I liked it better [22:10] the old way. I don't need this thing [22:12] monitoring everything I do and giving me [22:15] suggestions I didn't ask for. [22:18] maybe people start to to to to um go [22:22] away from it. I I did see some some [22:24] comments in uh posts by the AI team [22:26] where people were asking, you know, are [22:28] we going to be able to turn this off? Is [22:29] there going to be like a function that I [22:31] can add to my WP config to turn off the [22:33] abilities API because I don't want [22:36] clients messing with this and I don't [22:37] want anyone uh putting anything that I [22:40] didn't, you know, vet in there. So, you [22:43] know, that makes sense to me. To your [22:45] point, Eric, I work with a really large [22:47] group of collegeage kids every week and [22:50] I was shocked to find out that they get [22:52] excited to get mail in the mailbox. [22:55] >> Like I check the mail like once a week [22:57] begrudgingly, you know, throw away the [22:59] junk mail, you know, run run in terror [23:02] from the bills. And I was talking to [23:04] these kids and I I said, "What do you [23:05] mean you're excited about mail? That's [23:06] stupid." And they were like, "We grew up [23:10] in the internet age. The only time we [23:11] get mail is when it's something cool [23:12] like a Christmas card or a gift or [23:14] something from grandma. We get excited [23:16] to see mail and it's just the perception [23:18] is completely different. And I feel like [23:20] if we don't take into account the [23:23] perceptions of the masses that use the [23:25] WordPress platform, we get too focused [23:28] on what the inner group is thinking and [23:29] it becomes this echo chamber of of [23:31] stuff. [23:33] >> Yeah. Raquel, you're up. Predictions for [23:37] 2026. [23:39] Yeah, I mean my predictions are mostly [23:41] going to be community based as well, but [23:45] I did have the like AI in there that [23:47] we're just going to see it just continue [23:49] to blow up and looks like we've already [23:52] talked a lot about what that's going to [23:53] happen if and when it does and how. [23:57] But very similar. I mean, I definitely [23:59] was, you know, really concerned about [24:03] the lack of word camps. And I I [24:06] personally feel like there's a there's a [24:09] place for word camps and there's a [24:10] beauty behind word camps and that's [24:13] coming from somebody who now does an [24:14] alternative uh WordPress event, but I [24:17] don't see them continuing. And I'm even [24:22] now catching wind that other communities [24:26] outside of WordPress are catching on to [24:28] the fact that word camps are dying and [24:32] they they are looking that at that from [24:35] a capitalistic POV and you know so [24:38] there's this part of me that is like [24:41] excuse me you know and then there's this [24:44] other part of me was like oh dang [24:45] they're not wrong. So that is still one [24:49] of my predictions is that we're not [24:51] going to see an increase there. But to [24:54] further that prediction that we're going [24:55] to see more alternative WordPress events [24:58] and that one is big for me, you know, I [25:02] I thought starting my business I'd be [25:03] able to chill for two years and just [25:05] like just be me, just do like two, three [25:08] maybe press conf and then then start to [25:10] scale. And now I'm like nope, we got to [25:12] do things now because it's happening [25:14] now. and and I really very much um know [25:20] that I still have the community's best [25:22] interest in mind and that I my bottom [25:24] line isn't a a capitalistic POV. I you [25:27] know I I very much care about this [25:29] community and if someone's going to be [25:30] doing alternative WordPress events then [25:33] I I'm glad it's me and I hope others [25:35] that do do it are like me where we still [25:38] have our community's best interests. Um [25:41] any thoughts on that one? less word [25:43] camps and more not WordPress sanctioned [25:47] events happening. [25:49] >> That makes me sad a little bit. I miss [25:51] the old um smaller word camps that I [25:54] grew up kind of on. Not grow up, but you [25:56] know what I mean. I was still an adult [25:58] at the time, but [25:59] >> I somewhat [26:01] >> but but I I I do miss that. I missed, [26:04] you know, the getting together with the [26:05] community and I I met a lot of cool [26:07] people that way. Um maybe it will come [26:11] back in the form of all these [26:12] alternative events that are regional, [26:15] you know. Um unfortunately I can't get [26:16] out to press conf. I'd love to go out [26:18] there and see everything. I' I've heard [26:20] it's amazing, [26:22] but you know, maybe there's something in [26:24] on the east coast that can be done as [26:26] well. And you know, we can shift around. [26:29] But it it is a little bit sad to me [26:31] because I thought the word camp [26:33] atmosphere was so good and it it it [26:36] actually inspired me to go further with [26:39] WordPress. I'm you know my first camp [26:41] was I think 2009 in Philadelphia and if [26:44] I hadn't gone to that I don't know that [26:46] I'd still be in WordPress today. So I I [26:48] I think [26:49] >> events are important to some degree. who [26:52] no matter who's sponsoring them, no [26:53] matter what their [26:57] um backing is, I think, you know, we [26:59] still need events. Hopefully, people [27:01] like you, Raquel, will continue to fill [27:03] that void because I think that's [27:04] important. [27:07] >> Yeah. I mean, the word I mean, I still [27:09] remember the days of, you know, when I [27:11] used to sell themes and plugins and then [27:12] going to a word camp and talking with [27:14] Pippen when he owned Easy Digital [27:16] Downloads and like literally being in [27:18] the hallway with him as he [27:20] >> Yeah. took my feedback and like built it [27:22] into the plugin. I was like, "This is [27:24] amazing." Like this like you'd never get [27:26] this anywhere else. And um when I make [27:29] my prediction about [27:32] uh uh funneling it down to like one [27:34] major event, I'm looking at that. [27:36] Obviously, it's just my prediction and [27:37] like, you know, my thought process of [27:39] how I think maybe Matt is thinking about [27:42] reshaping the branding of WordPress. [27:44] Um, I'm going on like this gut feeling [27:47] that Matt thinks I need to reshape the [27:50] brand and kind of control the narrative [27:51] of WordPress if I am to continue to grow [27:54] this thing, right? And you know, we [27:56] might have our issues with that, but I [27:58] think that's typical like business play. [28:00] That's just me guessing, Raquel. I'm [28:02] curious. Who do you like who else should [28:05] we be paying attention to either on the [28:08] automatic side or in the community side [28:10] to see like what's happening with like [28:12] the planning? Is it who do you like pay [28:15] attention to in that on that side of it [28:17] to go all right I you know he or she is [28:20] not doing this thing I don't see them [28:22] you know collaborating with this is [28:24] there something we should be paying [28:25] attention to in order to like really [28:26] feel the I don't want to say canary in [28:28] the coal mine but like canary in the [28:30] coal mine effect [28:32] >> yeah I think there's it's a little bit [28:34] multifaceted [28:36] couple of key players are Mary for sure [28:38] Mary hover who's definitely leading a [28:41] charge there with [28:42] >> word camps on paper from a global scale [28:46] word camps are increasing. What is so [28:49] funny? [28:49] >> I said who? [28:51] >> Oh, okay. [28:54] So in Asia and and so from a non so not [28:58] person but community AP pack they're [29:01] blowing up you know and I you know after [29:05] word camp Asia in Bangkok a lot of [29:07] people's sentiment was like I felt like [29:08] going to Word Camp San Francisco 2012 [29:11] 134 you know where it's like like [29:13] WordPress hadn't even peaked you know [29:16] and there was this excitement and it was [29:18] like at the time that was essentially [29:20] the only one and only flagship event you [29:23] know and then shortly after became word [29:25] Kemp Europe and all that and so watching [29:28] the Asia community right now if you're [29:29] in Slack again so talking about people [29:33] to watch communities to watch but places [29:36] to watch is in Slack and the community [29:38] side there's the community team there's [29:40] also the community um events and so on [29:42] the event side you could see the [29:45] transparency there and that you could [29:46] see every application for any WordPress [29:48] meetup every application for any [29:50] WordPress or word camp and they're all [29:53] AP a pack just about every single one of [29:55] them. And then every once in a while you [29:56] see like a European or like an African [29:59] uh um centered event but almost all of [30:03] them are somewhere in Asia. Now that's a [30:05] really big you know AP pack itself is [30:07] like we're talking like almost twothirds [30:10] of the whole world you know in that [30:12] sense um to some degree but it is still [30:15] very new there you know and and and so [30:18] from us as westerners and I include even [30:21] Australia and Europe in the whole [30:23] westerner you know sort of POV it is [30:28] there there's something magical I think [30:30] to at least be aware of and hold in the [30:32] Asia community because I is at the last [30:35] two uh where camp Asia is. I won't be at [30:38] the Mumbai version this year. Um, but [30:41] when you're there, you're seeing the [30:44] most incredible stories and and [30:48] heartfelt [30:50] emotions around this open-source [30:53] project. And it and it brings you back [30:55] to where when you fell in love. For me, [30:58] as a westerner growing up in in America, [31:01] going to my very first word camp in 2012 [31:03] at Word Camp San Diego blew my mind [31:06] because they were so open and friendly [31:08] and I could not believe it. And it's [31:10] what made me fall in love with the [31:11] community and the project itself. And so [31:14] you're in Asia and you hear these [31:15] stories of people who had not been able [31:19] to put food on the table for their [31:20] families and then they discovered open [31:22] source, particularly WordPress, and [31:24] they're now feeding their families. And [31:28] that's still something. I I believe [31:30] that's still something to not [31:34] be so pretentious in our western selves, [31:37] you know, and and still look at this [31:40] product and see how much of a game [31:41] changer on a global scale that it is, [31:44] you know. So, watching the Asian [31:46] community in particular is a really good [31:49] in in like indicator of at least where [31:52] WordPress is going as a whole. I don't [31:55] really know how that helps us from how [31:57] we how we bring change here to America [32:00] because we're so jaded, you know, [32:02] including the other western countries [32:04] I've mentioned. Um, but I think in our [32:07] jadedness, if we could just take a peek [32:09] into there and see what they're doing, I [32:11] I think that will bring some perspective [32:13] that could help. [32:16] Speaking of familyfriendly and fun, my [32:18] prediction, my next prediction for 2026 [32:21] is the lawsuit is settled and the gloves [32:28] come off. Um I think that uh again I [32:33] think what's happening behind the scenes [32:35] is uh automatic does need to um which I [32:40] started to talk about in this year's [32:42] prediction post and it sort of kind of [32:45] came true with like cutting the fat and [32:48] and doubling down on WordPress. And I [32:51] mean, we did see that with some layoffs, [32:52] which is not super exciting or [32:54] inspirational, but I think once the [32:57] lawsuit is done, we're going to see, no [33:01] matter which, I'm not I can't predict [33:03] which way it's going to go. I don't have [33:04] a prediction for that, but I think [33:06] regardless of who wins, if there's even [33:09] a winner in this thing, um, we'll start [33:12] to see automatic unfold what I am [33:16] presuming is going to be like a bigger [33:18] marketing push, right? We are the people [33:20] behind WordPress and then there's [33:23] WordPress open source over here. I've [33:25] been saying that for a long time, but I [33:28] truly feel that 2026 is the year where [33:32] once the lawsuit's done, we're going to [33:34] see an all-out push. Um I know I'm I [33:38] have no inside knowledge. I think with [33:41] Matt investing in um [33:44] um [33:47] I'm going to forget his name now for [33:48] Jetack. uh [33:50] >> Devon Deon [33:50] >> Devon Devin uh that he's invested in [33:53] Devon and hiring him and bringing him on [33:54] to lead that product. I think that's [33:57] going to be the thing that's put in [33:59] front of every like the consumer product [34:02] that automatic starts to say here's why [34:04] we're the best. It's this jetack thing. [34:06] Come here, experience it. By the way, [34:09] open source WordPress is over here. And [34:11] then, you know, if my plan plays out, [34:14] uh, come to our automatic day event once [34:17] a year where we unleash the new version [34:20] of WordPress and you can find all the [34:21] cool stuff about WordPress here. So, [34:24] lawsuit's done. Anyone want to jump on [34:26] that grenade? [34:28] I my my other prediction was actually [34:30] the opposite that it's they're not going [34:32] to settle. [34:33] >> Okay. All right. I just see them so dug [34:35] in. Okay. and they've gone through all [34:37] of this already. And I I I feel like um [34:41] to me it feels like neither side is [34:43] going to want to give in. That's just [34:45] how I that's just how I'm seeing it. I [34:47] would love for it to be over like [34:49] yesterday because it's just been hanging [34:51] over everybody for so long. But [34:55] I I even saw a post from Matt Mullenwig [34:58] the other day. Uh somebody a marketing [35:00] person from WP Engine mentioned [35:02] something on uh LinkedIn and he reposted [35:05] it with a comment about [35:07] you can guess what it is about. [35:09] >> Yeah. [35:10] >> U and I I just see this as something [35:13] that [35:14] >> is going to drag on through the year. [35:17] >> I hope you I hope you're right and I [35:18] hope I'm wrong because I I don't want to [35:20] see that. But I just feel like if they [35:23] were going to settle, it was probably [35:24] going to be this year because of all the [35:28] costs they're acrewing and and just, you [35:31] know, what is it good for at this point? [35:33] But I I almost feel like it's it's like [35:34] a battle to the death at this point. [35:38] As someone who's getting a little bit of [35:40] a incidental inside scoop, I I would not [35:45] be surprised if if if Matt's prediction [35:49] is true. Uh I I feel you, Eric, but as [35:54] someone who's organizing events and and [35:56] got the front row seat to the fight [35:59] because of dealing with both companies, [36:02] it's not even remotely an issue this [36:04] year. There's a whole other beast that [36:07] just entered into the ring that is now [36:11] now the thing to that is the only thing [36:14] I'm even concerned with right now. And [36:17] that partly makes me wonder if Matt's [36:21] prediction would also come true. Even [36:23] though everything you're saying, Eric, [36:24] totally still very much true. and and I [36:27] could still see in like [36:30] uh the powers that be deciding, nope, [36:32] we're gonna fight all the battles, all [36:34] of them, and we're not gonna let go. But [36:35] there's definitely a new player for [36:37] sure. Yeah, I I don't see WP Engine [36:42] or Silver Lake above them [36:45] caring beyond this next year. Like, I [36:48] think it's it was probably just like, [36:50] all right, let's we got plenty of money [36:53] and we got plenty of lawyers. Let's just [36:54] see what happens. And then they're just [36:56] going to be like it's like doesn't even [36:58] affect, you know, their bottom line with [37:00] any of this stuff. Weren't they the ones [37:02] that just bought EA? [37:04] Uh they are part of it, right? I think [37:09] that's a great question. Um [37:12] who knows? I mean, there's so many [37:14] companies getting [37:14] >> My daughter mentioned that to me and I'm [37:16] like, Silver Lake? Really? [37:18] >> You're [37:19] like, [37:19] >> wow, they're really in on everything. [37:21] Good for them. There's definitely been [37:23] some times I'm like, "Silver lake, is [37:24] that the Silver Lake?" [37:26] >> Yeah. Three partners, PIF, Silver Lake, [37:28] and Affinity Partners for 55 billion on [37:30] the EA stuff. [37:32] >> Nice. [37:32] >> Yeah. I mean, they're just like [37:34] WordPress. [37:38] Who cares? [37:40] >> Well, you're cute. You're cute, [37:41] WordPress. [37:42] >> Yeah. Yeah. Oh, we are important. Uh, [37:47] all right. Uh, Kurt, let's kick it back [37:48] to you. your prediction, your other [37:50] prediction for 2026. [37:52] >> Do Do you want a happy one or a sad one? [37:55] >> Let's go happy. Let's go happy. [37:58] >> So, um I get kind of obsessed with [38:01] different marketing messages and [38:03] especially with all the podcast stuff [38:04] that I do, my feed fills up with all [38:07] kinds of ads because we talk about all [38:09] kinds of things. Um, I've been talking [38:12] to customers. I've been talking to other [38:14] agencies. [38:16] All of this like flooded influencer like [38:20] heavy cultlike marketing on things like [38:22] school, Passion, io, Alex Hermoszi, all [38:26] these people. They are wicking some [38:29] people up into like this frenzy of like [38:32] I'm going to have this online course. [38:33] I'm going to put on squad. I'm be part [38:34] of the marketplace. I'm going to have [38:35] this circle thing and I'm going to [38:36] become part of their marketplace. I'm [38:38] going to be on podium. I mean, this this [38:39] marketplace and everyone's getting all [38:41] excited and and signing up for these [38:43] things that are hundreds of dollars a [38:45] month. And I think from a positive [38:48] perspective, [38:49] um, again, I told you this would be my [38:51] happy one. I think this is going to, you [38:54] know, as a side effect, drive people [38:56] back to they're going to look for [38:58] options. They're going to say, "They [38:59] promised me I was that Passion IO [39:02] commercial is ridiculous. If you're not [39:03] making $50,000 a week, you don't have a [39:05] business." you know, um, when you listen [39:08] to that ad as an agency that makes [39:10] WordPress content for real people, [39:13] you're like, that doesn't even make [39:15] sense. But there's people that hear it [39:17] and it's like they sign up for Amway to [39:19] sell laundry soap, right? It's it's like [39:20] this crazy concept. So once they pay for [39:23] five or six months of this, they go, I'm [39:26] not making any money. I'm going broke. [39:28] I'm maxing out my third credit card on [39:30] this nonsense. there's got to be an [39:32] easier way or a more clear-cut direct [39:35] way or something with ownership that [39:37] doesn't cost me, you know, a second [39:39] payment on my house. And I think that's [39:41] where people are going to come back to [39:42] WordPress a little bit in those in those [39:45] niches. It's going to be communities. [39:47] It's going to be courses. It's it's [39:49] going to be some kind of like hybrid [39:52] social site that they want to build and [39:54] they're going to try and and leverage it [39:56] for revenue. And and I think the people [39:58] that can help with that are going to see [39:59] some growth. [40:00] >> Yeah. [40:02] I I it WordPress does really well I [40:05] think in economic challenges, right? [40:08] Where like when I started my agency, it [40:10] was the big financial crisis 2007 going [40:13] into 2008 and it was just like you could [40:16] pick this thing up and build something [40:17] with it. And I think what happens is is [40:21] yeah, like we're I don't think we're [40:23] ever escaping financial crisises for the [40:25] rest of our lives. Let's just put it [40:26] that way. like every year we're going to [40:28] be saying there's a financial crisis. Uh [40:31] so we just, you know, live live with it. [40:33] Um and try to, you know, ride whichever [40:35] wave up and down it's going. But [40:37] WordPress and and maybe it's just open [40:38] source and that's why it's so important [40:40] to have open source stuff uh is a great [40:44] fit for um you know when the people need [40:48] to actually hunker down and not look for [40:50] just like a quick fix, but they're [40:51] actually willing to put in some time to [40:53] learn and understand it. Those are the [40:55] folks that are are going to be able to [40:57] sustain this, right? They realize like, [40:58] why am I spending thousands of dollars a [41:00] month on this piece of software and this [41:02] guy's trying to upsell me into his own [41:03] courses to teach me how to do it and now [41:05] I'm spending all kinds of money when I [41:07] can just, you know, reinvest in [41:08] WordPress. It's Yeah, I I could I would [41:11] love to talk about like the tug tugofwar [41:13] of like the simplicity of WordPress and [41:15] why it doesn't solve that better for [41:16] people. Um, that's a whole other [41:18] episode, but uh any thought any any [41:21] thoughts from the rest of the panel on [41:23] that prediction? Hearing [41:26] none, I'll go to Eric. Eric, for your [41:29] next prediction. [41:31] >> My next prediction? Well, [41:33] >> I think we'll go back to AI because [41:35] we're the WP Minute and we do AI better [41:38] than anyone. [41:40] >> I'm going to say that Hold on before you [41:42] before you continue. Before you [41:44] continue, this is why Eric is feeding [41:46] that statement into the transcript is [41:50] because he and I have been talking. Why [41:52] why don't we show up more in AI [41:54] searches? [41:55] >> So Eric's doing the right thing and [41:57] trying to appease the robots who now [42:00] control all of our traffic. Okay, [42:02] >> I love my robot overlords and I thank [42:04] them for the opportunity to be here [42:06] today. [42:08] But I I will say though um I I think [42:11] this is the year that somebody comes up [42:13] with an implementation of AI in [42:15] WordPress that is not just generating [42:18] text or images that it's going to be [42:20] something actually like more widely [42:23] appealing. Maybe it is something that to [42:26] do with onboarding. Um, I I think uh [42:30] when we had uh Devin Walker on from [42:32] Jetack a few weeks back, he mentioned [42:35] the possibility of using AI in that [42:39] particular use case uh to help get Jet [42:42] new Jetack users onboarded. And I feel [42:45] like this is the year that somebody's [42:46] going to do something really cool and [42:48] creative with it. Jetack may may well be [42:50] first. Um, I don't know what else is [42:52] going on out there, but I think it's [42:54] it's time that we, you know, everybody's [42:57] implementing AI. Everybody, every [42:59] plug-in author is seems to be throwing [43:01] it onto the product, whether it's useful [43:03] or not. And I think this may be the year [43:06] that we see somebody do something a [43:08] little bit different and just something [43:10] that gives us that kind of aha moment [43:13] that it makes our lives a little easier. [43:15] Especially, I think new users, they [43:18] Matt, we're talking about that that ease [43:19] of use thing. [43:21] We tested GoDaddyy's uh Arrow WordPress [43:25] designer tool early in the year and it [43:28] actually did what it said it was going [43:29] to do. I think we're going to see, you [43:32] know, bigger and better uh iterations of [43:35] things like that. [43:38] Any I have a comment, but does anybody [43:39] else want to jump on it first? [43:43] So, I'm curious. Uh, I totally agree and [43:46] I think that this is um [43:50] when page builders first came out, you [43:53] know, freelancers, agency owners are [43:54] like, "Oh my god, now my client isn't [43:56] going to need me anymore because they're [43:58] going to build this thing for them." You [44:00] know, they can just go and build this [44:01] page themselves or they can just find [44:02] Elementor and and they can do it. Um, [44:05] which wasn't the case. But there was [44:08] probably like, you know, if there was [44:09] real data behind this, I wonder how many [44:11] of those potential customers did level [44:13] up from needing to hire one of us to [44:15] build the site for them. I mean, [44:17] probably a small percentage, but a [44:18] percentage nonetheless. I'm curious how [44:21] if if AI gets as good as it's promised [44:24] to be. [44:25] Um, how much of that onboarding and that [44:29] WordPress maintenance intelligence do [44:32] does the average user get where they [44:34] don't need that monthly maintenance plan [44:37] from folks like us, right? If your [44:39] agent, your AI agent is in WordPress [44:42] going, "Oh, you need you need these [44:44] three updates this month and and by the [44:46] way, you need these updates because [44:47] there was a security release for XYZ [44:49] plugin. Do you want me to update these [44:51] plugins for you?" [44:53] um hey you know those keywords you used [44:55] in the title of that you know product [44:56] page that's not going to rank really [44:58] well in any kind of search term you let [45:00] me help you reshape that or the images [45:03] you uploaded were too large it's going [45:04] to make the page load slow like I wonder [45:07] how much of that erodess the um [45:11] maintenance plans which is a is a key [45:14] word that a lot of folks use right um so [45:17] yeah that to me that's I I agree with [45:19] you that I think that's going to happen [45:21] because actually WordPress kind of needs [45:23] it, but how does that impact the rest of [45:26] us is is an unknown to me. I don't know [45:28] if you have any thoughts on that. [45:30] >> I think I think you're still going to [45:32] need a human intervention at some point. [45:34] I don't know, Kurt, I'm sure you have [45:36] some good opinions on this. [45:38] You know, automated tools are wonderful [45:40] to to a certain degree, but they make [45:43] mistakes. Um, it's the same reason I [45:45] don't always turn on auto updates on my [45:46] my WordPress install because things [45:48] break and I want to be there in case [45:51] something's wrong. I want to, you know, [45:53] actually provide value to my client and [45:55] and, you know, manually review the site [45:58] and make sure that it works the way it's [45:59] supposed to so they're not missing out [46:01] on sales or conversions. So, I I think [46:04] those things are those type of AI [46:06] implementations are going to help us. [46:08] Um, I think maybe they're more even for [46:10] the for the agency owner more than the [46:13] average user. Um, you know, that maybe [46:16] they can be tailored uh to to help us [46:20] get things done and alert us of of [46:22] problems or alert the client of problems [46:25] so that they can then in turn send us a [46:27] panicked email that something's broken. [46:29] You know, I don't know. Kurt, do you [46:30] have any thoughts on that? [46:32] >> I have a lot of thoughts, Eric. Um, I [46:37] I think that people love the feeling and [46:40] the empowerment of feeling like they're [46:43] knowledgeable, but I don't think people [46:45] in general running some other business [46:48] have any desire to actually do the work, [46:51] to actually have followth through to [46:53] actually pay attention to the AI [46:55] notifications. [46:56] >> That's a good point. That's I think [46:58] that's why long-term AI is a great tool [47:01] again for the professional and maybe it [47:04] does allow some empowerment and [47:05] knowledge to the creator or the site [47:08] owner but I think more than ever they're [47:10] going to leverage agencies and [47:13] freelancers and professionals to manage [47:14] the product for them so that they can [47:16] manage their business. [47:19] >> Yeah. I mean, it makes sense because [47:23] I it almost sounds like more [47:25] notifications equals more hassle for the [47:27] site owner, right? If they're constantly [47:29] getting pinged, hey, you haven't updated [47:31] to PHP 8.3 yet, what's wrong with you? [47:33] You know, if they're getting that on a [47:35] daily basis or or whatever, it's going [47:38] to stress them out, right? They're not [47:40] going to want to do that themselves. are [47:42] going to want to hire us to do that for [47:43] them so that we are the ones that are [47:45] annoyed with all the constant chatter [47:48] from from these bots that are that are [47:50] probably going to be pinging us every 10 [47:51] minutes. [47:53] See, my master plan, Eric, was to get [47:55] you to record more uh audio and video so [47:58] that I could make an Eric Clippybot [48:01] >> uh that I will vibe code and have pop up [48:03] on every WordPress site. [48:05] >> Uh and you'll be the agent. So, [48:08] >> that's gonna scare too many people. so I [48:10] could clone you. Um, let's go around the [48:13] horn and throw out some quick uh [48:16] predictions for 2026. Uh, as we almost [48:19] hit the top of the hour here. Um, I [48:22] think the biggest thing for me, [48:25] I got some some crazy ones. So, I think [48:27] one, awesome motive starts a hosting [48:30] company. [48:32] I have no inside knowledge, but I think [48:34] that's next. [48:38] Um, I think we see a press conf Europe. [48:43] Oh. Uh, I have no inside knowledge. [48:46] >> How did you do that? Shut up. [48:48] >> I have no inside knowledge. Uh, and let [48:52] me go with the big one. I think that [48:58] um [49:00] I think automatic [49:03] buys BeaverBuilder. [49:05] Whoa. [49:06] >> Did you just make that one up off the [49:08] top of your head right now? I'm swinging [49:10] for the fences for my 2026 predictions [49:12] in the in the in the lightning round. [49:13] Those are those are my three. Awesome [49:15] motive uh uh starts a hosting company. [49:19] Raquel launches Prescom Europe and [49:21] Automatic buys BeaverBuilder. [49:24] Who wants to jump on rapid fire next? [49:27] Even if you have just one. [49:29] >> I'll do Rapid Fire next. Uh it's so [49:33] funny because I'm like so like Mrs. [49:34] positive, but um they're mostly [49:36] negative. Uh less actual word camps and [49:44] less overall WordPress use because I [49:47] still, especially in the line of work [49:49] I'm now in, I'm still convincing people [49:52] about why WordPress is those CMS to use. [49:56] And I still don't think we've we've [49:58] exited the I don't care about data [50:01] bubble. And yeah, so I think less use of [50:05] WordPress and still less or more apathy [50:09] toward your owning your own data. [50:11] >> And do Oh, that's a good one. Yeah. I [50:14] mean, yes. Um, do you actually think the [50:16] the percentage goes down [50:19] >> uh or even just stabil is just stays [50:22] stagnant. [50:23] >> Okay. [50:24] >> All right, Kurt, I know you got a couple [50:26] of them or one of them. Well, I I I got [50:29] one and it's it might be controversial, [50:31] but I I think that uh Etch is going to [50:34] continue to develop and its user group [50:36] is going to continue to expand and I [50:39] think as great as it is, it's going to [50:42] drive a wedge through some of the [50:45] community with some of the the marketing [50:48] and conversations that happen around it [50:49] and its use. So, so that's [50:52] >> just be kind that would also help. [50:56] >> Yeah. Um, uh, I also, [50:59] >> that's a lie. [51:01] >> I I also echo the sentiment that [51:03] there'll be less word camps and some [51:05] more struggles with getting your [51:07] WordPress meetups to go. Like, I think [51:08] it's great Devon's got like a soldout [51:10] one in San Diego, but there's only like [51:12] four or five that come to mind in in [51:14] Kansas, right? um it's going to be [51:16] harder and harder to fill these meetups [51:18] and these word camps [51:20] because once you get out of the out of [51:22] your own personal bubble and you get [51:24] into the community a little bit, you [51:26] start to see these fractured comments [51:27] coming from these other channels. And so [51:31] my next prediction is that somebody [51:36] Raquel, Kurt, somebody um really starts [51:39] a cohesive kumbaya kind of a channel [51:43] where we kind of get people to get [51:44] excited and come together regardless of [51:46] the tools of choice and just really [51:48] endorse this open source thing a little [51:49] bit better. uh because we're allowing [51:51] too many fractured conversations to [51:53] happen that look contrarian and [51:56] adversarial rather than just bringing [51:58] everybody to a successful result. [52:02] >> Eric, [52:04] I've got two. Uh one is that Jetack [52:06] >> you better be AI man or you're missing [52:07] the mark here. [52:08] >> Oh, I I will do AI. You just you should [52:10] give me a chance. I The first one is [52:12] that Jetack's going to look completely [52:14] different in a year. Um, I think that's [52:17] uh what Devin Walker was hired to do and [52:19] it's going to be um a lot different than [52:22] what we see today. And the, you know, [52:24] the all things to all people I think [52:27] will be probably a little bit narrowed [52:29] down. One of my guesses. Uh, and the [52:32] other one is, and this is kind of a [52:33] bummer, but I see a major [52:36] privacy/security [52:37] incident coming with AI. I think there's [52:40] it's it's either going to be national [52:42] security, uh, international security. um [52:45] that's some awful data privacy [52:49] revelation. I just see that coming [52:51] because it just well I mean it's kind of [52:54] like shooting fish in a barrel with the [52:56] dangers that are going on now. Um even [52:59] the way that people are tricking this uh [53:01] these models to uh provide you know uh [53:05] potentially dangerous information. I'm [53:07] actually just writing something up about [53:08] this. I it it to me it sounds like we're [53:12] kind of on the on the ledge here of [53:14] something big, some kind of big scandal. [53:16] Not sure which company it'll be, but um [53:19] it sounds like to me something like that [53:21] will come. [53:22] >> And and you're talking like beyond [53:24] WordPress, right? [53:25] >> Yeah, beyond WordPress. It'll be like a [53:27] societal thing, you know. Um, [53:30] and maybe it gets finally someone to [53:33] take a look at, you know, some sort of [53:36] guide rails for all of this, whether [53:38] it's voluntary or regulatory. You know, [53:41] I I think we're we're just so much in [53:43] the wild west with this right now that, [53:46] you know, something's going to happen [53:48] and it's going to impact a lot of people [53:50] negatively and there's going to be a lot [53:52] of blowback on it. [53:53] >> Yeah. Happy 2026. [53:57] Maybe that will null my prediction about [53:59] like people not caring about data. And [54:01] so then maybe that will cause everyone [54:03] to care. [54:04] >> It might it might you might have a [54:06] situation where you know people kind of [54:08] come to the realization that I really [54:10] don't want Mark Zuckerberg to have my [54:12] data. I don't want Elon Musk to have my [54:13] data. I don't want Sam Alman to have my [54:15] data. I want to have my data. WordPress [54:18] allows us to do that, right? So maybe [54:20] that that is something that Matt [54:22] Mullenway could take to the bank and and [54:24] and hammer home because in an age where [54:27] nobody owns their own anything, you [54:31] know, everything's in a cloud, uh [54:33] WordPress is still something that you [54:35] can uh lay claim to, you know, with your [54:36] data. Yeah. I don't know what Facebook [54:40] is good for anymore. Speaking of like [54:42] Zuckerberg and like just like zooming [54:44] out and looking at like the tech giants [54:47] and like who's winning in AI and who's [54:49] winning in hardware and all this other [54:51] stuff like I I sit back and I go I don't [54:54] know what Facebook is doing. I mean [54:55] they're generating cash because of their [54:56] ad platform which is the same thing that [54:58] you know obviously keeps Google going um [55:01] you know to a degree but like I don't [55:03] know what Facebook represents in the [55:05] zeitgeist of technology right now. So, [55:08] if I had a 2026 prediction for like all [55:10] tech kind of thing, [55:13] Facebook takes a major hit in 2026. I [55:15] mean, Instagram props them up. I get it. [55:17] But I just don't know what the hell [55:18] anybody wants with Facebook anymore. And [55:21] uh I think we're going to see a big hit [55:23] to uh Open AI. I don't understand what [55:25] the hell they're doing either in terms [55:27] of like an a tech product. I saw a deal. [55:31] So, you you get me on the soap box of [55:32] AI, Eric, and now it's all done. Um [55:36] >> here we Yeah, I saw they like Disney did [55:38] a deal with them this morning for for [55:40] like AI generate characters for a [55:42] billion dollars. What is a billion? Like [55:44] what's a billion dollars? Like what I [55:46] feel like a they're they're asking for [55:49] trillions of dollars and Disney's like [55:51] we'll give you a billion. I feel like [55:52] Open AI is like me trying to get [55:55] sponsorship for the WP Minute sitting on [55:56] the corner of the street dancing in a [55:58] banana suit going [56:01] you give me to get to keep this thing [56:03] going. And that's what Open AI is doing. [56:06] So, if I know what I feel like, I can [56:08] imagine what Sam Alman feels like. So, [56:10] we're going to see two major hits to [56:12] Facebook and OpenAI in 2026. All right, [56:14] I had to get that. [56:14] >> There's still lots of boomers and exers. [56:16] Sorry. No offense. [56:18] >> What does that mean? [56:19] >> They they love the Facebook. [56:22] >> Yeah, [56:22] >> they love it. [56:23] >> I've left it. I [56:25] >> Yeah, I don't I don't ever use it. [56:26] >> The one who's Yeah, [56:28] >> I don't ever use it. [56:29] >> I left Facebook when I still lived in [56:31] California because nobody uses Facebook. [56:33] Only old people. And then when we moved [56:35] to Kansas, [56:37] everybody in this small town was on [56:39] Facebook [56:40] >> and I had to like revert and go back in [56:42] time and like, [56:43] >> you know, regenerate my my my profiles [56:46] and stuff. [56:46] >> Very interesting. [56:48] >> Yeah. It's the WP Minute 2026 annual [56:52] first annual WordPress predictions with [56:55] the great Raquel, Eric, and Kurt. [56:58] Raquel, where can folks find you to say [56:59] thanks? [57:01] >> Raquel, Karina, almost everywhere. And [57:03] that's just cuz I can't get Raquel. [57:04] Although on Slack, I am at Raquel every [57:07] Slack instance. So, yay. [57:10] >> Aside from the Agency Action podcast, [57:12] Kurt, you're at a thousand other [57:13] podcasts. Where else can folks find you [57:15] to say thanks? [57:16] >> Uh, Mñana Nas. So, Mñana Nas, uh, all [57:19] the socials. And then I'm on LinkedIn. [57:21] I'm the only Kiron on LinkedIn. So, when [57:23] you find me, you know you got me. [57:25] >> Nice. [57:25] >> And Eric, [57:26] >> I am probably the only Eric Caravac on, [57:29] uh, on LinkedIn as well. So you could [57:31] probably find me there or uh my business [57:33] site is karks.com k a r ks [57:38] the wpmin.com the wpminut.com/subscribe. [57:41] It's the number one way to stay [57:42] connected. Thanks for all of the [57:44] listeners, readers, viewers, [57:48] uh respondents, folks in the Slack [57:50] community for our lovely sponsors that [57:52] help keep this ship moving. We really [57:55] appreciate it. It was a great 2025. We [57:57] look ahead to a great 2026 regardless of [58:00] what we said on today's podcast. [58:04] We'll see you all next year.