The final day of WordCamp US 2025 in Portland was carried by celebration, people, and ideas. After days of learning, contributing, and networking, Day 4 felt less like a conclusion and more like a send-off into the future of WordPress and a continued celebration of the Open Web.
Sessions, Expo Insights, and Practical Innovation
Day 4 was filled with small but meaningful discoveries. Tom Dumenjich, Independent Contractor with nonprofit Delta Rising Foundation, attending his fourth WordCamp, was struck by the ways AI is being applied directly within hosting platforms.
“I like the talks about how AI is being integrated in hosting platforms,” he said. “It can remind you if your domain is expiring or if there’s a DNS error.”
It was a reminder that innovation isn’t just about flashy features, it’s about solving real problems for everyday WordPress users.
Elsewhere, the expo hall buzzed with energy. Consultant, Marc Gratch, simply described Friday’s atmosphere, “Everybody’s excited, everybody wants to share what they’re working on. It’s a fun atmosphere.”
For Cat O’Grady of Automattic, inspiration came from an unexpected keynote on AI and medicine. “They talked a lot about using video games to help neural development and treatment, and I thought that was so cool and interesting,” she said. “I’m going to go update my personal site right now and make it look so much cooler, just revive everything.”
Her excitement reflected the larger theme of the day: learning something new and immediately applying it to make WordPress work better for you.
Community & Connections
If the sessions provided the spark, the community provided the warmth. Jonathan Wold of Guildenberg left Tammie Lister’s talk on systems thinking with more questions than answers, in the best way.
“AI is really going to just amplify what you give it,” he said. “It got me thinking, how can I make sure that I’m confident in the foundations, like the strength of the systems that I have in place?”
For Wold, sharing the week with his wife and son added another layer of meaning: “Our youngest is nine, and to see his excitement with the swag and the Wapuu… that was a big highlight.”
The sense of inclusion extended across the venue. Dumenjich summed it up in one word: “Hospitable.” It was a fitting description of the atmosphere: welcoming, supportive, and all human.
Matt Mullenweg’s Closing Keynote: A Vision for the Future
The week concluded with a keynote from WordPress co-founder Matt Mullenweg, who painted a forward-looking picture of how AI and WordPress will grow together. He emphasized tools that make sites easier to build, manage, and access while underscoring that WordPress’s power comes from its people, not just its code.
It was both practical and philosophical: a call to embrace AI as an assistant, not a replacement, and a reminder that the Open Web thrives when collaboration is at its core.
As the keynote wrapped and the closing party began, the message was clear: WordCamp US 2025 may be over, but the momentum continues.
Stay Engaged in the WordPress Community
As the event closed with the traditional closing party at the World Forestry Center, many of us left with full notebooks, new friends, and energized determination. O’Grady said she felt “inspired” and ready to rethink her personal site, while Gratch saw the future clearly, “We see more and more technologies moving away from strictly proprietary to open source… the community involvement is what separates them from a closed system.”
The community doesn’t end when the badges are put in a memorabilia box. You can carry the WordCamp spirit forward by:
- Joining a local WordPress Meetup
- Contributing remotely to any of the WordPress teams
- Staying connected with the amazing people you met at WordCamp US 2025
As we bid farewell to Portland, one thing is clear: the Open Web is alive, evolving, and more hospitable than ever. Until next time—see you at the next WordCamp US in Phoenix!