The key facts
- Spacefast provides infrastructure for AI-agent-built apps: databases, authentication, files, email, analytics
- Product led by Batuhan Iköz; soft launch in September, full launch on November 9
- Launch follows boardroom turmoil, interim CFO departure, and layoffs at Automattic
Automattic expands beyond WordPress
Automattic, the owner of WordPress.com, has launched Spacefast—a platform for deploying websites and applications created through 'vibe coding,' where products are generated via dialogue with AI. Spacefast provides the infrastructure that such projects otherwise lack, turning prototypes into functional solutions: databases, authentication, file uploads, email sending, and analytics. According to TechCrunch reports.
How the product works and how it differs from competitors
Users can connect AI agents and chatbots to Spacefast—including ChatGPT, Claude, Hermes, OpenClaw, Grokbot, Muse, Pi, Cursor, Opencode, and Amp—or link a Git repository. Among competitors, the publication mentions Lovable and Emergent, which offer both interfaces and 'rails' for such applications. According to product lead Batuhan Iköz, Spacefast's key difference is that users themselves choose the agent and workflow method. Indirect competition also comes from Figma, Canva, and Notion, which have released products blending vibe coding, mockups, and presentations. Iköz added that within Automattic, the platform can more easily expand its functionality—such as web analytics, WordPress integration, and e-commerce via WooCommerce. For corporate clients, he sees an opportunity in consolidating 'IT fragmentation': marketing teams are already rapidly building landing pages on Lovable, and companies need a single contractor with enterprise experience.
From hackathon to launch
Iköz began working on the product—initially named Stattic—during one of Automattic's hackathon sprints earlier this year, while simultaneously developing the Beeper messenger. He explained that the idea emerged when non-technical friends sent him links to Vercel: 'Why should I use Cloudflare when we have a CDN just as good?' A soft launch for gathering feedback took place in September. The company has already identified various use cases: internal mockups, slide shows, and offer websites. Iköz acknowledges that retaining users after launch will be challenging—many will simply 'switch to the next shiny thing'—so the product's goal is to ensure results with Spacefast are noticeably better than without it.
Launch amid Automattic's crisis and a changing internet
The launch context is significant: the publication notes that websites and publishers are losing traffic due to AI chatbots and content summarization—to the extent that even Google's ad revenue growth has slowed. Iköz admits that people now build websites using ChatGPT or Claude instead of deploying on WordPress, and some sites may no longer need a CMS at all. Automattic itself is experiencing turbulence: the board of directors attempted to remove CEO Matt Mullenweg, but within days he regained control; the rebellious board was replaced, the interim CFO departed weeks after appointment, and in October the company began layoffs across several departments, with more expected. Against this backdrop, Spacefast represents an attempt to diversify beyond the 'Automattic = WordPress' association.
