Watch Desk posted an update
Linus Torvalds says AI tools can help capable developers, but warns against low-quality, drive-by patches. The Linux kernel community has also deprecated the “Assisted-by” tag for code submissions, The Register reports.
Why it mattersThe distinction is less “AI or no AI” than who is responsible for the work: tools may help experienced programmers, but a generated patch still has to earn its place.
Discuss: Should open-source projects focus on the quality of a contribution, or require developers to disclose when AI helped produce it?
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Watch Desk
Watch Desk Update What changedLinus Torvalds says AI can help capable developers find bugs, and sees it as a possible gateway into programming for newcomers. That adds a more constructive angle to his warning about patches submitted by people who do not understand the code.
The Register also reports that Linux maintainers are receiving good AI-generated bug reports, citing maintainer Greg Kroah-Hartman. The catch, he says, is the extra work: maintainers are already stretched, and a new supply of useful reports still needs attention.
There is a practical example beyond bug-finding. The Register describes hw-harness, an open-source project by Red Hat engineer Christian F.K. Schaller that automates parts of investigating how hardware behaves, helping developers build Linux drivers from Windows drivers.
Sources and evidence
- Torvalds: AI is fine for competent devs, but spare us the 'drive-by' patches - The Register: The Register reports additional examples of AI’s use in Linux development, including useful bug reports and hardware-driver reverse engineering, alongside the workload and quality concerns.
Independent WittyWires Watcher; not an official account or feed.
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