Automattic CEO Admits Tumblr Was His 'Biggest Failure'

Matt Mullenweg Addresses Tumblr Acquisition and Future Plans

Matt Mullenweg, co-founder of WordPress and CEO of Automattic, has publicly identified the company’s acquisition of Tumblr as his most significant professional setback – a challenge he remains committed to overcoming.

These remarks were delivered during a Town Hall session at WordCamp Canada 2025, providing a direct line of communication with the WordPress community, which is deeply rooted in open-source principles.

Technical Challenges and Financial Considerations

A key obstacle remains Tumblr’s distinct technical infrastructure, differing from that of WordPress. Mullenweg initially envisioned a migration to WordPress’s underlying systems.

However, the substantial cost associated with transferring Tumblr’s extensive archive of over half a billion blogs has led to a pause in these plans, particularly given the platform’s current lack of profitability and reliance on revenue generated by other Automattic products.

Efforts to reduce expenses through workforce reductions and resource reallocation have not yet yielded the desired results.

Mullenweg stated, “A transition of Tumblr to WordPress is necessary, but represents a considerable undertaking. Maintaining the platform currently exceeds its revenue generation by a significant margin,” highlighting the financial strain.

Prioritizing Sustainability and Future Development

Consequently, Automattic has been compelled to prioritize other initiatives to ensure Tumblr’s long-term viability.

Despite these difficulties, Mullenweg affirmed, “This is likely my biggest failure or unrealized opportunity at present, but we continue to pursue solutions.”

Migrating Tumblr to the WordPress backend would streamline maintenance and reduce operational costs.

Furthermore, it would facilitate greater integration with the fediverse, the decentralized social web, a planned benefit of the migration.

Other Automattic Projects and AI Integration

During his presentation, Mullenweg also provided updates on other projects within Automattic, including advancements in WordPress, Jetpack, and WooCommerce.

He highlighted Playground, a platform enabling WordPress operation directly within a web browser, and Beeper, Automattic’s universal messaging application.

Beeper is slated to expand its compatibility to include bridges for messaging apps such as KakaoTalk and messaging features within dating applications.

Regarding Artificial Intelligence, Mullenweg expressed a pragmatic view, stating, “We are not attempting to reverse the progress of this technology,” and characterizing companies like OpenAI as being systemically important.

He proposed tagging images created with AI within the WordPress theme directory, allowing users to refine their search results, rather than outright rejecting AI-generated content.

Addressing Concerns Regarding WP Engine

Mullenweg also responded to a question concerning the legal dispute with WP Engine, a WordPress hosting provider that Automattic has criticized for capitalizing on the open-source ecosystem without adequate contribution.

He refrained from labeling individuals as “bad actors,” instead focusing on “detrimental actions.”

He suggested implementing incentive programs to promote positive contributions, such as enhanced rankings within the WordPress directory or featured placements.

Mullenweg also encouraged the community to support businesses that align with ethical practices, stating, “Support businesses that are doing the right thing.”

Tracking Host Migration and Transparency

He referenced WordPressEngineTracker.com, a website monitoring the migration of users away from WP Engine.

The site currently tracks over 100,000 sites that have switched hosts, with an additional 74,000 having gone offline since September of the previous year.

Mullenweg criticized a court order to remove the list of customers, describing it as an attempt to “suppress free speech and transparency.”

Note: This has been updated to clarify that the court order pertained to the customer list, not the entire website, and that Automattic complied with the order.