Linus Torvalds endorses AI for building and maintaining Linux kernel
Linux creator Linus Torvalds is all for using AI to build and maintain the Linux kernel.
In a recent community debate, he called AI a useful tool for keeping Linux up-to-date and improving it, adding that if anyone disagrees, they are free to "fork it" (basically, start their own version).
For Torvalds, it is about using the best tech available.
SFC AI rules prompt Torvalds defense
The conversation kicked off after the Software Freedom Conservancy (SFC) pushed for rules limiting AI's role in open-source projects and its statement, "When Using LLM-backed Generative AI Systems for FOSS Contributions."
While developers are worried about these policies, Torvalds says decisions should be based on technical merit, not fear of new tools.
As he put it, "In the kernel community, we do open source because it results in better technology, not because of religious reasons. And so we make decisions primarily based on technical merit. Not fear of new tools."