COSMIC shuts the door on AI code as GNOME debates letting bug reports in

System76 is now prohibiting AI-generated content in contributions to the COSMIC desktop environment. Some GNOME sub-projects also have restrictions on AI-generated contributions, but a developer is pushing for exceptions to be made for vulnerability reports. The COSMIC desktop project has updated its contributor guidelines to include a strict no-AI rule.

Contributors must declare that they have not included any LLM (also known as AI) generated content in their PRs, including code, comments, and descriptions. This stance aligns with other desktop projects, such as GNOME, which also prohibit contributions generated by large language models (LLMs) and chatbots. GNOME Extensions permit AI learning aids and code completion but disallow AI-generated submissions.

COSMIC, one of the newest complete Linux desktop environments, is based on GNOME but has undergone significant changes, including a switch to a Rust-based codebase using the Iced toolkit. The desktop is Wayland-only. GNOME, the larger and older project, was initially developed in C using GTK, while GNOME Shell combines JavaScript and C, with some components written in Vala.

Michael Catanzaro, a GNOME developer, recently argued for accepting AI-generated bug reports in a blog post, citing the challenges of writing secure code in memory-unsafe languages like C and C++. This stance may set a precedent, potentially paving the way for AI-assisted triage, fixes, and even core components in the GNOME project.