Torvalds: AI is fine for competent devs, but spare us the 'drive-by' patches
Kernel maintainers stop asking who used AI, as long as the code is good
Linus Torvalds is embracing AI to write Linux kernel code, sparking controversy among some in the community. The Linux kernel maintainer explained his stance on AI during the Pivot to AI podcast, where podcaster David Gerard dubbed the move "full AI slop code." Commenter LordVile accused the Linux Foundation of orchestrating the AI push, suggesting it was simply a publicity stunt.
In response, Torvalds emphasized the importance of competent developers utilizing AI as a valuable tool rather than merely producing inferior, hastily-executed patches. While acknowledging the potential pitfalls and false positives that AI-generated content can present, Torvalds argues that AI holds significant promise for automating tedious tasks, improving bug detection, and facilitating the creation of Linux drivers.
He believes that the community should encourage proficient individuals to leverage AI as a means to expand their skills, rather than condemning it outright.
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