Quoting Linus Torvalds
Simon Willison · Simon Willison · 2026-07-16
Linux creator Linus Torvalds declares on the Linux Media Mailing List that Linux is not an anti-AI project and that AI's usefulness is no longer in question, warning that anyone who objects can fork the project or leave.
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Extraction
Topics: linuxopen-sourceai-adoptiondeveloper-opinion
Claims
- Linus Torvalds has made a definitive ruling as Linux's top maintainer that Linux will not be an anti-AI project, framing his position as a line he will 'absolutely put his foot down' on.
- Torvalds asserts that AI's usefulness is settled as of mid-2026, stating the question is 'no longer in question' and that doubters 'clearly haven't actually used it.'
- Torvalds distinguishes AI usefulness, which he considers resolved, from open questions like AI's long-term economic impact, which he acknowledges remain uncertain.
Key quotes
Linux is not one of those anti-AI projects, and if somebody has issues with that, they can do the open-source thing and fork it. Or just walk away.
AI is a tool, just like other tools we use. And it's clearly a useful one. It may not have been that 'clearly' even just a year ago, but it's no longer in question today. Anybody who doubts that clearly hasn't actually used it.