Linus Torvalds shares his perspective on using artificial intelligence in programming

Linux kernel creator Linus Torvalds has praised artificial intelligence for personal projects while noting its limitations for core kernel development.

FTMQ Security, written by our newsroom12 October 2026 at 01:010 views

Linux creator Linus Torvalds stated that he enjoys using artificial intelligence for personal coding, speaking during a discussion with Dirk Hohndel at the Open Source Summit Europe in Prague. ZDNET and a related ZDNET report both covered his comments. [1][2]

According to ZDNET, Torvalds called vibe coding a wonderful way to find joy in programming. However, he drew a clear line regarding Linux development, noting that finding bugs with artificial intelligence is acceptable, but AI-generated patches can overwhelm maintainers. [1]

Open-source developer sentiment regarding artificial intelligence remains mixed. ZDNET reported that System76 recently banned AI-generated content from its COSMIC desktop project. [1]

Torvalds previously created Git in 2005 to manage distributed version control for Linux. He serves as the principal maintainer of the Linux kernel, enforcing standards across infrastructure that powers cloud systems, Android devices, and top supercomputers. [3]

Linus Torvalds voiced support for using AI tools on personal hobby projects.
Torvalds warned that AI-generated code patches can create excessive work for kernel maintainers.
System76 banned AI-generated submissions from its COSMIC desktop desktop software.
Torvalds spoke at Open Source Summit Europe alongside Ericsson Software Technology head Dirk Hohndel.

Sources

Every paragraph above points to the numbered items it rests on. Read the originals here.

[1]‘I use AI to do the things that I’m bad at’: Linus Torvalds on why it works for himZDNET Security, 2d ago (the report this story comes from)
[2]‘I use AI to do the things that I’m bad at’: Linus Torvalds on why it works for himZDNET, 2d ago

Background

[3]Linus Torvalds on Grokipedia

Our newsroom writes these reports with the help of software, from the 3 sources listed and nothing else, and checks them against those sources. Facts can still be wrong or move on; the originals are the record. Spotted a mistake? Write to daniel@monsterkong.com.

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