LibreOffice says ‘no AI’ is now a software feature
The maker of the open source document editor says it has no plans to add AI to its software's default configuration, citing user privacy.
LibreOffice, the open source document editor developed by the Document Foundation, has announced that it will not incorporate artificial intelligence into its software in the near future. In a blog post, the nonprofit stated that while it does not dismiss AI outright, it has made a deliberate decision not to integrate AI features into LibreOffice.
The organization cited concerns over data security and user control as primary reasons for avoiding AI integration, as many AI tools require users' data to be processed on remote servers beyond their control. LibreOffice's software has already been praised for ensuring users' documents remain on their devices and not being uploaded to servers.
The Document Foundation highlighted that tens of millions of people and organizations already use LibreOffice, underscoring the importance of retaining user data control. The company noted that users who still wish to utilize AI can do so by installing extensions that connect the document editor to local AI models. This decision contrasts with the trend among many software companies to incorporate as much AI as possible, even at the expense of user experience.
LibreOffice's stance on AI reflects a broader movement of developers seeking to create software that prioritizes user data control over the inclusion of resource-intensive features like AI tools.
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