BREAKING: Matt Mullenweg Put on Leave As CEO Of Automattic

Breaking: Automattic’s board put Matt Mullenweg on a paid leave of absence. Not necessarily permanent, but he’s out as CEO for now.

I saw this coming. After WP Engine and the social media stuff, he’s been more controversy than help. Still grateful — no Matt, no WordPress. But the CEO seat outgrew him.

WordPress usage dipped a bit. I blame AI more than Matt. The product is fine. For sites that actually do work — leads, newsletters, orders — WordPress is still the best harness you own and control. AI makes that stronger, not weaker.

I’m not crying over this one. Wish him the best. A different role for Matt is probably better for Automattic long-term.