April 21, 2026 — Too often, open source contributors spend time on tasks that machines could handle faster, more consistently, and without the risk of burnout. In a primarily volunteer-driven project like WordPress, time and resources are limited. Every manual task carries a high opportunity cost, distracting contributors from work that would be more impactful long-term. But saving time is not the only benefit of automation. When implemented thoughtfully, it can reinforce and preserve institutional knowledge making collaboration more sustainable. It can empower you to take advantage of AI, reduce friction, prevent mistakes, and even lower the barrier of entry for new contributors. This talk will highlight real-world examples of automation within the WordPress project, including what has worked well and what could have gone further. It will introduce a framework for evaluating when and where automation is worthwhile, and offer practical guidance for building tools that are lightweight, maintainable, and contributor-friendly.

April 21, 2026 — This talk is the brutally honest story of our journey down the AI rabbit hole. I will share about dozens of our experiments with AI, including: The Developer’s Dilemma: We tasked AI with creating a WooCommerce plugin from scratch and converting Figma designs into functional code. Did it create “superhuman” developers or just superhuman technical debt? The Marketing Maze: We explored “AEO” (AI Engine Optimization), automated email campaigns, and unleashed AI on our social media. What worked, what flopped, and what scared our marketing team? The Operational Odyssey: Could AI handle customer support tickets, conduct market research, or generate test cases? What was the impact on our efficiency, our team’s morale, and our bottom line? Overall, attendees will walk away with: – Actionable insights from our most successful experiments, including specific tools, prompts and workflows we use for various . – Honest lessons from our failures – helping them avoid common pitfalls, save money, and prevent team burnout. – They will also understand the importance of “Human-in-the-Loop”, scaling AI experiments safely, and the mindset for effective AI usage,

April 21, 2026 — Basics of CSP and terms
How to setup CSP Report-Only
Analyzing that to craft a CSP that works
How to add it to your site without breaking any features or functions

April 21, 2026 — WordPress’s hooks system didn’t just make the platform extensible — it created a shared protocol that let an entire ecosystem collaborate without coordination. Model Context Protocol is doing the same thing for AI. This talk explores the parallel, what WordPress core is already building, and why the open-source community is uniquely positioned to lead what comes next.

April 21, 2026 — Attendees to my session will come away with a deep understanding of the Interactivity API and how it can be used for their projects to create amazing front-end experiences

April 21, 2026 — miniOrange began product development with a CyberSecurity plugin more than a decade ago. Since then, it has launched numerous products on WordPress and other marketplaces, and now has cloud services as well as on-prem products of its own. WordPress has immense benefits for a person who wants to be a founder and have their own company. In this session, Anirban wants to share his own journey and wants to share what the learnings are along the way, and why WordPress continues to be one of the main focuses for miniOrange and is likely to be its main focus going forward as well. The session will also cover the traps that a startup founder should not get into while being on WordPress, and what the expectations are from a community point of view if a startup takes off from WordPress. It will also cover basic startup needs like barrier to entry, how to create a niche, opportunities for product development in AI and CyberSecurity, etc.

April 21, 2026 — It’s time to have a conversation about ethics in plugin and product design. We’ll learn that recognising and rejecting dark patterns isn’t about stricter rules, it’s about building trust through transparent, user-centred design.

April 21, 2026 — A deep dive into timeless design systems, resilient layout strategies, and block-based UX that adapts to content, change, and scale.

April 21, 2026 — Understanding the core components of code quality: functional, structural, performance, and security. How proper requirement gathering and client communication prevent most bugs before coding begins. Practical steps to write maintainable, scalable, and predictable WordPress code. How to use tools like PHPCS, WordPress Coding Standards, and code reviews to improve quality. Real-world examples that show how small defects can damage user trust — and how to avoid them. A simple quality framework attendees can apply immediately in their day-to-day development workflow.

April 21, 2026 — What can developers learn to become more valuable beyond just improving coding skills?
2 directions of growth: vertical and horizontal – 3 lessons that can help developers growth in their careers