This week, the spotlight is on Automattic’s trademark dispute with the creator of Automatic.css, sparking debate around branding and open-source naming rights. We also cover WordPress 6.9 Beta 2, featuring 33 editor updates and the long-awaited merge of the Abilities API, plus major improvements to plugin security checks through the new Plugin Check Plugin.

Across the ecosystem, Campus Connect Costa Rica and WordCamp Islamabad showcased WordPress’s growing global footprint, while critical vulnerabilities were patched in King Addons, Anti-Malware Security, and WP Freeio. WooCommerce 10.3.4 brings key performance fixes, and FAIR joins Patchstack for real-time site protection.

Outside WordPress, OpenAI’s ChatGPT Go expands globally, Google launches Pomelli, and Microsoft confirms its $135B stake in OpenAI. Community highlights include BobWP’s 700th podcast milestone and new plugin launches like Ability Explorer, Plugin Curator, and PodLoom.

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Stay tuned for this week’s blend of WordPress news, community highlights, security alerts, and AI innovation shaping the open web.

This week’s episode dives into major WordPress headlines — from Automattic’s counterclaims against WP Engine in the ongoing trademark battle to the release of WordPress 6.9 Beta 1 and Gutenberg 21.9, bringing three new blocks and key editor improvements. We also cover WooCommerce 10.3, now featuring Cost of Goods Sold (COGS) in core, and new AI-powered integrations via MCP.

In security news, Wordfence warns of mass exploits targeting GutenKit and Hunk Companion plugins, while FAIR and Patchstack join forces to launch the FAIR Software Security Assistant. The episode also highlights Matt Mullenweg’s 20-year milestone at Automattic, major community events from WordPress Bhopal to Youth Day Nicaragua, and emerging tools like Progressify, Brand Assets, and Themeisle’s Fresh Rank.

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🎧 Tune in for all the latest WordPress updates, security alerts, AI trends, and community milestones shaping the open web this week.

This week, we bring you insights from WordCamp Canada 2025, where Matt Mullenweg discussed WordPress’s evolution, the role of AI, and the power of community-driven innovation. We also explore the expanding Campus Connect program for educators, progress on the Abilities API for WordPress 6.9, and a major Slider Revolution vulnerability affecting millions of sites.In tech and business, an AWS outage shook the web, while WordPress VIP stayed resilient. Google’s new ad label design, ChatGPT search behavior, and WP Engine’s Smart Search AI MCP made headlines. The community celebrated WordCamp Dhaka’s record attendance, new plugin launches like Safe Updates, Rocket Insight, ProductGenie AI Shopping Assistant, and Hidden Gems, plus leadership changes and fresh AI-driven tools across the ecosystem.Sponsored by:🔹 Kinsta – High-performance managed WordPress hosting powered by Google Cloud🔹 WP Shell – Learn to self-host WordPress with over 25 free lessons on VPS and server configuration🔹 WP Job Openings – The simplest way to build a professional career page and manage job applications🎧 Tune in for WordPress news, innovation highlights, and the stories shaping the open web this week.

In this episode, we cover the release of WordPress 6.8.3, a crucial security update fixing two critical vulnerabilities, and a major policy change from WordPress Community Support after misuse of WordCamp funds. Higher education partnerships expand with Fidélitas University’s WordPress Campus Connect, while Gutenberg 21.8 introduces the much-anticipated “hide block” option and updates ahead of WordPress 6.9.

Security remains top of mind as a Yoast SEO Premium XSS flaw gets patched in version 26.0, and WooCommerce 10.3 rolls out experimental session management and AI-ready merchant tools. In business and community updates, WPExperts acquires Gutena Forms, WooCommerce partners with Snapchat, and the Checkout Summit 2026 Inclusion Grant opens for applicants. Microsoft ends its nonprofit ads program, while WP World, SeedProd, Rocket.net, and Amelia debut major redesigns.

We also explore innovations like Suggerence – Gutenberg Edition, Yoast AI Brand Insights, and Adam Zieliński’s PHP Playground, plus the latest AI experiments from Andy Peatling and new creative plugins from the WordPress community.

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🎧 Tune in for this week’s WordPress updates, community highlights, and emerging AI-driven innovations shaping the future of the open web.

This week’s episode dives into the release of FAIR 1.0, marking a major milestone in decentralized WordPress package management by enabling installs from WordPress.org, independent sources, and mirrors. We also cover Gutenberg 21.7’s new features, WordPress VIP’s GovRAMP and TX-RAMP certifications, and BuddyPress security updates. On the business front, Newfold Digital sells Markmonitor, Pagely partners with WP Event Manager, and Fueled confirms workforce reductions, while rtCamp opens 100 new roles.

Community discussions span WooCommerce’s MCP module, FlyingPress 5.2 with real-user Core Web Vitals tracking, Shopify’s new WordPress plugin, and Automattic’s transparency report. Envato shifts focus away from extensions to AI, Michael Willman’s motion against Automattic raises legal questions, and Patchstack earns recognition among Estonian startups.

We also spotlight fresh projects and tools: from Throwable Block and Ollie Menu Designer to WooCommerce Product Tables, Jotform’s AI Chatbot, Amender’s universal content editor, and Cloudflare’s new Email Service and Vibe SDK.

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🎧 Tune in for all the latest WordPress updates, insights, and community news that keep you ahead of the curve.

This week, we unpack the launch of the new Core Program Team, designed to improve coordination across Core and help contributors work more effectively together. WordPress Credits is calling for new mentors, WordCamp US 2025 highlights contributor onboarding and decision-making, and after eight years, WordPress.org services finally have full IPv6 support. WordPress 6.9 introduces stronger privacy signals with new Site Health tests, while a serious vulnerability in the Jobmonster theme puts site owners on alert. WooCommerce 10.2.1 also ships with compatibility and performance fixes.

Beyond WordPress, the DOJ ramps up its case against Google, SEO experts track disruptive SERP changes, and applications open for the host city of WordCamp Asia 2027. Community news includes the return of the San Diego Meetup, WPBakery’s loyalty program, Gutena Forms’ potential sale, and milestone achievements like CookieAdmin hitting 100K installs. We also spotlight fresh projects from GoDaddy’s AI-powered Airo Site Designer to plugins like Post Calendar, ZenCommunity, ZiziCache, and the playful Pong Block.

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🎧 Tune in for all the latest WordPress news, updates, and insights shaping the future of the community.

In this episode, we dive into the latest shifts and stories shaping the WordPress ecosystem. Anne McCarthy launches a new content-creators Slack channel to bring creators closer together, while the 2025 WordPress Hosting Survey opens to refine WordPress.org’s hosting recommendations. WordPress adds inline image support in emails, though security concerns rise with vulnerabilities in Service Finder Bookings, LifterLMS, and other plugins.

WooCommerce gears up for version 10.2 with fresh features and launches its new POS solution, while community discussions range from Automattic archiving the Underscores theme to the PHP Foundation introducing an official PHP SDK for MCP. We also highlight acquisitions like MapSVG joining Melograno, Automattic’s recognition in the Forbes Cloud 100, and vibrant community news including mentorship programs, new plugin updates, and Yoast Care fund awards.

Finally, we spotlight exciting new projects—from AI-powered form builders and rich block editor tools to changelog centralization and real-time user monitoring—showing how innovation continues to thrive across the WordPress space.

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🎧 Tune in for the latest WordPress news, updates, and community insights!

This week, we spotlight the newly announced WordPress 6.9 release squad, updates on the WordPress Credits Program, and accessibility team elections. On the security front, major vulnerabilities were patched in LifterLMS, Redirection for Contact Form 7, and Dokan Pro, while GoDaddy researchers exposed a malicious plugin campaign.

WooCommerce 10.1.1 improves checkout and shipping flows, and in broader tech news, Google launched Asset Studio, Ahrefs rolled out a new traffic tracker, and OpenAI expanded integrations. The community also celebrates new partnerships, leadership changes, and fresh projects like AskaiWP, DBlocks CodePro, and the WordPress Book Club.

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🔹 20i – Autoscaling WordPress hosting with high-frequency CPUs and powerful built-in tools

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🎧 Tune in for the latest WordPress news, updates, and community highlights!