Artificial intelligence tools have now become a major part of the developers’ world as they are widely used for writing software code now. The debate over AI in the open-source works has now taken a clear turn after Linus kernel creator Linus Torvalds made it clear that the Linux kernel project is not against AI, according to The Register. He reportedly said developers who disagree with the use of AI are free to leave the project or create their own version of Linux.
Torvalds Draws A Clear Line On AI
As per the report, Torvalds said he was prepared to take a firm stand on the issue in a discussion on the Linux kernel mailing list. He said, “Linux is not one of those anti-AI projects, and if somebody has issues with that they can do the open-source thing and fork it.”
He added, “Or just walk away.”
Torvalds described AI as another tool that developers can use to improve their work. He stressed that its usefulness is no longer up for debate. “It’s clearly a useful one. It may not have been that ‘clearly’ even just a year ago, but it’s no longer in question today. Anybody who doubts that clearly hasn’t actually used it,” added the Torvalds.
A Change From His Earlier View
Torvalds’ latest remarks come at a time when the world is rushing towards AI use. However, his current stance reflects a change in his thought process. In 2024, he reportedly criticised the hype surrounding AI. At the time, he had reportedly said, “I really don’t want to go there, so my approach to AI right now is I will basically ignore it.”
Moreover, he had also suggested that AI may become more meaningful over the next five years. Nearly two years later, he now believes AI has already become a practical tool for software development.