WordPress.com parent company Automattic is shifting gears again. In a blog post titled “Returning to Core,” Automattic announced that it will resume its contributions to the WordPress project, just a month after stating that WordPress 6.8 would be the last major release of 2025. The blog post reads, “After pausing our contributions to regroup, rethink, and plan strategically, we’re ready to press play again and return fully to the WordPress project.” Automattic will contribute to key areas like WordPress Core, Gutenberg, Playground, Openverse, and WordPress.org. This decision marks a recommitment to the company’s long-held mission to democratize publishing. According to the post, the pause provided insights into how WordPress is used, and Automattic now aims to support its growth and evolution. Although the reasons for this reversal were not entirely clear, sources told TechCrunch that CEO Matt Mullenweg shared internally that a WordPress 6.9 release is planned for later this year. This release is expected to include admin panel improvements and potentially new features from an emerging “AI team.” WordPress currently powers 43% of all websites, and this renewed dedication from Automattic could help maintain its dominance in the CMS landscape while adapting to the fast-evolving world of AI and content platforms.