Linux creator Linus Torvalds has made his stance clear on the integration of AI in software engineering. Initially known to address AI as just another ‘marketing hype’, Torvalds has now taken a different approach to utilising AI for software development. Addressing critics who oppose the use of AI tools in contributing to the Linux kernel, Torvalds had a warning – accept the technology, or walk away.
Writing on the official Linux kernel mailing list archive, Torvalds, who clarifies himself as the top-level caretaker of the Linux project, drew a line in the sand.
“Linux is not one of those anti-AI projects,” Torvalds stated. He added that if developers have an issue with AI tools being used to improve the operating system, they can exercise their open-source rights. “If somebody has issues with that, they can do the open-source thing and fork it, or just walk away.”
Linux creator’s shift in AI perspective
The latest comment comes as a shocker, considering his anti-AI stance previously. In October 2024, the tech pioneer famously stated 90 per cent of the AI industry was “marketing hype,” suggesting he would ignore the trend for the foreseeable future.
However, in less than two years, Torvalds views AI as a fundamental component of the modern developer’s toolkit. He wrote that while the utility of AI might not have been completely obvious a year ago, it is “no longer in question today.” He added that “anybody who doubts that clearly hasn’t actually used it.”
This comes at a time when the developer ecosystem is experiencing the rise of vibe coding as a major contributor in developing complex code architectures. Vibe coding assistants like Claude Code and Codex have been widely adopted by AI coding developers.
Torvalds admits AI can be ‘somewhat painful tool’
Torvalds did not shy away from the flaws associated with AI-generated contributions. He acknowledged that AI can occasionally be a “somewhat painful tool,” both in terms of managing maintainer workloads and because “it keeps finding embarrassing bugs.”
That said, he argued that the challenges are no excuse to ban the technology outright. Torvalds’ approach to AI stands in contrast to other industry veterans, such as C++ creator Bjarne Stroustrup, who previously lamented that AI-generated code was of such poor quality it was driving senior developers into retirement.
“The solution is not to put your head in the sand and sing ‘La La La, I can’t hear you’ at the top of your voice like some people seem to do,” Torvalds wrote. Instead, he believes the open-source community must focus on refining large language model (LLM) tools so that they assist maintainers rather than creating more issues.
To choose technical merit over fear: Torvalds
While Torvalds has previously expressed anger toward exaggerated claims, like companies boasting “99 percent of their code is written by AI”, he remains firmly supportive of AI as an assistive tool. Torvalds emphasised that the Linux project will always prioritise functionality over philosophy.
“We make decisions primarily based on technical merit. Not fear of new tools,” Torvalds explained. “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.”