Linus Torvalds to critics of AI coding in Linux: "Fork it. Or just walk away."

In response to critics who have raised concerns about the quality and trustworthiness of code produced by artificial intelligence, Torvalds told them to "fork it. Or just walk away." The statement was direct and characteristic of Torvalds' communication style.

Torvalds' position is that code quality is determined by the kernel's review process, not the origin of the code. He has previously rejected calls to impose restrictions on development tools or methods. The Linux kernel development workflow involves multiple tiers of maintainers who review patches before they are merged into the mainline.

The announcement has implications for the broader open-source community. Some kernel developers and contributors have expressed concerns about potential risks, including subtle errors or security vulnerabilities that AI-generated code may introduce. The Linux kernel is used in a wide range of critical systems, from servers to embedded devices.