TL;DR
Linus Torvalds argues that Linux kernel guidelines should treat AI like any other development tool, not as a special case, saying documentation cannot solve bad submissions. At the same time, he openly acknowledges using an AI coding tool in a personal project, signaling pragmatic acceptance of AI-assisted development outside core kernel policy.
Key Points
Highlight key points with color coding based on sentiment (positive, neutral, negative).There is an ongoing debate among Linux kernel developers about guidelines for tool-generated submissions.
Linus Torvalds emphasizes that documentation should focus on tools rather than AI.
Torvalds dismisses concerns about AI-generated content, stating documentation is for responsible contributors.
Linus Torvalds has publicly acknowledged using Google Antigravity for his GitHub project AudioNoise.
The AudioNoise project uses AI-generated code to create ambient noise.
Linux kernel developers are debating proposed guidelines for tool-generated code submissions as AI-assisted coding becomes more common. Weighing in on the discussion, Linus Torvalds argued that any documentation should focus on development tools in general rather than singling out AI, saying that AI-assisted contributions will continue regardless of policy language. Torvalds stressed that documentation is written for responsible contributors and cannot prevent low-quality submissions from bad actors.
On Wed, 7 Jan 2026 at 13:20, Lorenzo Stoakes lorenzo.stoakes@oracle.com wrote:
> Thinking LLMs are 'just another tool' is to say effectively that the kernel is immune from this. Which seems to me a silly position.
No. Your position is the silly one.
There is zero point in talking about AI slop. That's just plain stupid.
Why? Because the AI slop people aren't going to document their patches as such. That's such an obvious truism that I don't understand why anybody even brings up AI slop.
So stop this idiocy.
The documentation is for good actors, and pretending anything else is pointless posturing.
As I said in private elsewhere, I do not want any kernel development documentation to be some AI statement. We have enough people on both sides of the "sky is falling" and "it's going to revolutionize software engineering", I don't want some kernel development docs to take either stance.
It's why I strongly want this to be that "just a tool" statement.
And the AI slop issue is NOT going to be solved with documentation, and anybody who thinks it is either just naive, or wants to "make a statement".
Neither of which is a good reason for documentation.
Linus
A few days later, Torvalds has disclosed his use of an AI tool, Google Antigravity, in his GitHub project AudioNoise. Released on January 9, 2026, this project uses AI-generated code to produce ambient noise for relaxation and focus. His application of AI tools in this project highlights AI's role in coding, particularly in open-source development.
Here is what Linus wrote in the README file of the project:
Also note that the python visualizer tool has been basically written by vibe-coding. I know more about analog filters -- and that's not saying much -- than I do about python. It started out as my typical "google and do the monkey-see-monkey-do" kind of programming, but then I cut out the middle-man -- me -- and just used Google Antigravity to do the audio sample visualizer.
Is this a significant endorsement of AI tools in coding by Linus Torvalds or just a casual mention? Days will tell us the impact of this acknowledgment on the open-source community and AI-assisted coding practices.
Stakeholder Relationships
An interactive diagram mapping entities directly or indirectly involved in this news. Drag nodes to rearrange them and see relationship details.People
Key entities and stakeholders, categorized for clarity: people, organizations, tools, events, regulatory bodies, and industries.Argued that Linux kernel documentation should treat AI-assisted code generation as a generic tool rather than a special category, rejecting AI-focused policy statements while acknowledging personal use of AI-assisted coding tools in a hobby project.
Proposed discussion around explicitly addressing AI-generated contributions in kernel documentation, prompting a public response from Linus Torvalds.
Organizations
Key entities and stakeholders, categorized for clarity: people, organizations, tools, events, regulatory bodies, and industries.The development community debating guidelines for tool-generated code submissions in the context of increasing AI-assisted contributions.
Employer of Linux kernel contributor Lorenzo Stoakes at the time of the discussion.
Hosts the AudioNoise project released by Linus Torvalds that credits AI assistance.
Tools
Key entities and stakeholders, categorized for clarity: people, organizations, tools, events, regulatory bodies, and industries.An AI-assisted coding tool credited by Linus Torvalds for helping develop the AudioNoise hobby project.
Events
Key entities and stakeholders, categorized for clarity: people, organizations, tools, events, regulatory bodies, and industries.A multi-month discussion within the Linux kernel community about whether and how to document guidelines for AI- or tool-generated code submissions.
Linus Torvalds released AudioNoise on GitHub in January 2026, explicitly acknowledging AI assistance in the README.
Industries
Key entities and stakeholders, categorized for clarity: people, organizations, tools, events, regulatory bodies, and industries.The sector impacted by the growing use of AI-assisted development tools and debates over contribution standards.
The broader field influenced by evolving norms around AI-assisted coding and tool usage.
Timeline of Events
Timeline of key events and milestones.Linux kernel developers discussed proposed documentation and guidelines for handling tool-generated code submissions, in the context of increased use of AI-assisted development tools.
Linus Torvalds replied on the Linux kernel mailing list to a proposal suggesting explicit documentation around AI-generated or tool-generated content, arguing that documentation should focus on tools in general rather than AI specifically.
Linus Torvalds published a hobby project called AudioNoise on GitHub and credited Google Antigravity for assisting with parts of the code in the project’s README.
Additional Resources
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