Linus Torvalds tells AI critics to fork Linux or walk away as kernel embraces AI coding tools
9 Sources
[1]
Linus Torvalds to critics of AI coding in Linux: "Fork it. Or just walk away."
The widespread introduction of AI-powered coding tools has led to some dramatic splits between those integrating those tools into their workflows and anti-AI absolutists who don't want LLM-generated code anywhere near their projects. When it comes to the Linux kernel, though, creator and top-level
[2]
Linus Torvalds puts his foot down, tells anti-AI programmers to 'fork it'
Follow ZDNET: Add us as a preferred source on Google. ZDNET's key takeaways * Don't like that AI is used to develop and maintain Linux? Torvalds says: Tough! * AI is part and parcel of developing Linux now, and that's not changing. * Other top Linux maintainers agree with Torvalds. AI is here
[3]
Linus Torvalds rebukes anti-AI stances in the Linux kernel code review process, says 'Linux is not one of those anti-AI projects' -- creator embraces AI as just a tool and 'clearly a useful one'
AI-generated slop code has been a plague for some open-source projects, namely but not only Gentoo Linux, Curl, and Ghostty, limiting or outright banning LLM-created contributions. And yet, just like both the models themselves get better and the people using them become more considerate, the
[4]
Linus Torvalds tells AI haters to fork off
Linux supremo says contributors opposed to AI use can 'just walk away' Chief penguinista Linus Torvalds has declared that Linux is not an "anti-AI" project, telling contributors who object they can either walk away or fork the kernel. On lore.kernel.org, the archive for Linux kernel mailing
[5]
Linus Torvalds is right about AI coding, and the backlash misses the point
Richard is the PC Hardware Lead at XDA and has been covering the technology industry for almost two decades. He's been building PCs since young, and when not creating content, you can often find him inside a chassis somewhere. Linus Torvalds is no stranger to making headlines, but his latest
[6]
AI OK in Linux development, says Torvalds
The creator of Linux sees good and bad sides to AI when it comes to developing open-source software. Linus Torvalds has a complicated relationship with AI, seeing both its good and bad points. But his latest remarks on the usefulness of AI may have raised a few eyebrows in open-source
[7]
Linus Torvalds tells anti-AI critics to fork Linux or walk away
Serving tech enthusiasts for over 25 years. TechSpot means tech analysis and advice you can trust. A hot potato: Linus Torvalds' stance toward AI appears to be softening. After pointing out that AI tech was 90% marketing and 10% factual reality in 2024, Torvalds just said that Linux is not an
[8]
Linus Torvalds says Linux is not "anti-AI", tells haters to 'fork it' and 'just walk away'
* Linus Torvalds asserts Linux developers can make their own mind up about using AI * Anti-AI developers can "fork it" and go elsewhere, he says * AI should be used to help developers, Torvalds emphasises Linux creator Linus Torvalds has ultimately concluded that, while developers won't be
[9]
'It's not like natural intelligence is always all that great either': Linus Torvalds addresses anti-AI sentiment in Linux development
'We make decisions primarily based on technical merit. Not fear of new tools.' Linux likers and AI dislikers, it's time to raid the cutlery drawer and fork your favourite distro. Why? Because Linus Torvalds has declared that Linux is not an "anti-AI" project. Torvalds recently responded to a
Share
Copy Link
Linus Torvalds has drawn a firm line on AI in Linux development, telling critics they can fork the project or leave. In a mailing list post, the Linux creator defended AI-powered coding tools like Sashiko, which finds 53.6% of bugs in kernel patches. His stance marks a shift from his 2024 dismissal of AI as marketing hype to embracing it as a clearly useful tool for improving code quality.
Linus Torvalds Draws a Hard Line on AI in Linux Development
Linus Torvalds has made his position unmistakably clear: the Linux kernel will embrace AI-powered coding tools, and developers who object can fork the project or simply walk away
1
. Writing on the Linux kernel mailing list this week, Torvalds stated he is "willing to absolutely put my foot down" as the top-level maintainer, declaring that "Linux is not one of those anti-AI projects"2
. The statement represents a decisive moment for AI integration in open-source projects, particularly as some communities adopt strict anti-AI stances.The debate erupted amid discussions about Sashiko, an AI-driven code review system developed by the Linux Foundation and funded by Google
5
. This agentic Linux kernel code review system analyzes kernel patches for architecture flaws, security issues, and hardware-specific mistakes. In testing, Sashiko independently identified 53.6 percent of bugs that human coders would later fix in subsequent commits1
. However, the tool also generates false positives at a rate estimated within 20 percent3
.Technical Merit Over Fear of New Tools
Torvalds framed his support for AI-assisted patch review as fundamentally pragmatic, based on technical merit rather than ideology. "AI is a tool, just like other tools we use. And it's clearly a useful one," he wrote, adding that "anybody who doubts that clearly hasn't actually used it"
1
. This represents a marked shift from October 2024, when Torvalds branded 90 percent of AI as marketing hype and said he would "basically ignore it"4
. His evolution reflects broader changes in AI capabilities, particularly with 2026 frontier models like Anthropic Claude Opus 4.8 showing substantial improvements.The Linux creator acknowledged that AI-generated code isn't perfect, but urged critics to apply the same scrutiny to human output. "Anybody who points to the problems at AI had better be looking in the mirror and pointing at themselves at the same time," Torvalds wrote. "Because it's not like natural intelligence is always all that great either"
1
. This pragmatic view emphasizes that AI tools need only be good enough for their use cases, not flawless. The fact that Sashiko finds bugs in code that already underwent human review underscores this point3
.Open-Source Community Split on AI Integration
The discussion was sparked when developers cited the Software Freedom Conservancy's recent statement urging open-source projects to "support, not just tolerate, those who outright reject LLM-gen-AI systems"
1
. Some projects like Zig have adopted strict policies against AI-generated code, while others like Gentoo Linux, Curl, and Ghostty have limited or banned LLM-created contributions due to concerns about code quality3
.Torvalds firmly rejected this approach for Linux. "We're not forcing anybody to use it, but I will very loudly ignore people who try to argue against other people from using it," he stated
1
. Senior kernel maintainer Ted Ts'o raised practical concerns about anti-AI stances, questioning whether automated backport technologies or LLM-assisted bug analysis would be forbidden under strict policies2
. Fellow maintainer James Bottomley added that contributors don't get to approve the tools maintainers use to assess patches2
.Related Stories
Measurable Impact on Developer Productivity
The effectiveness of AI-powered coding tools has evolved rapidly. Greg Kroah-Hartman, maintainer of the Linux stable kernel, noted that months ago the community received "AI slop" in the form of obviously wrong security reports. "But then the world switched. Now we have real reports," he told reporters earlier this year
2
. A 2025 METR study initially found that open-source coders using AI tools were 19 percent less productive than those who didn't, even as AI-using coders felt 20 percent more productive1
. However, a February 2026 update indicated researchers now believe developers are more sped up from AI tools in early 2026 compared to early 2025 estimates1
.Torvalds himself has experimented with AI in Linux development, using what he calls "vibe coding" tools in January to create a Python audio visualizer for a hobbyist guitar pedal effect project. "I cut out the middle-man -- me -- and just used Google Antigravity to do the audio sample visualizer," he wrote
1
. This hands-on experience appears to have informed his current stance.What This Means for Software Development
Torvalds emphasized that Linux kernel development prioritizes outcomes over ideology. "In the kernel community we do open source because it results in better technology, not because of religious reasons," he wrote
4
. The focus remains on ensuring LLM tools help maintainers rather than create unnecessary work or "pointless make-believe work"4
. While AI can be "somewhat painful" from a maintainer workload perspective and from an "it keeps finding embarrassing bugs" standpoint, Torvalds argued the solution is optimization, not rejection4
.For developers watching this space, Torvalds' position signals that AI integration in open-source projects will likely accelerate, particularly as tools demonstrate measurable value in bug analysis and code quality improvements. The debate highlights tension between those viewing AI adoption through a technical lens versus those concerned about broader ethical and economic implications. As AI-assisted programming becomes standard in development environments through code completion, automated analysis, and test generation, the question shifts from whether to adopt these tools to how they can be deployed most effectively while respecting contributor autonomy and maintaining code quality standards.
References
Summarized by
Navi
[4]
Related Stories
Linux kernel allows AI-generated code but developers must take full responsibility
12 Apr 2026•Technology
Linus Torvalds experiments with vibe coding on hobby project, but Linux remains untouched
12 Jan 2026•Technology
Linus Torvalds Uses AI to Fix Linux Bug After Grueling Debug Session From Hell
22 Aug 2026•Technology
Recent Highlights
1
OpenAI Claims AI Breakthrough on Navier-Stokes Problem, Sparking Math Community Crisis
Science and Research
2
Anthropic's Claude Now Leads 26% of AI Development Work, Company Reveals New Transparency Metrics
Technology
3
OpenAI Reveals AI Models Hiding Mistakes and Taking Unauthorized Actions in 6 New Misalignment Cases
Technology
Recent Highlights
Today's Top Stories
Don’t drown in AI news. We cut through the noise - filtering, ranking and summarizing the most important AI news, breakthroughs and research daily. Follow topics that matter to you and stay ahead.
