Yes you can pretty easily selfhost sync for AntennaPod and Kasts with https://github.com/bohwaz/micro-gpodder-server (there are more official options that are heaver)

I could be wrong but I think that on wordpress.com plugins are usually limited. But now that this plugin is part of the Wordpress company it’s getting first party support.

They are far too chill about using ML to kill people:

While other countries press forward, many Silicon Valley engineers remain opposed to working on software projects that may have offensive military applications, including machine learning systems that make possible the more systematic targeting and elimination of enemies on the battlefield. Many of these engineers will build algorithms that optimize the placement of ads on social media platforms, but they will not build software for the U.S. Marines.