Re: [MAINTAINERS SUMMIT] The role of AI and LLMs in the kernel process

[Laurent Pinchart <laurent.pinchart@ideasonboard.com>]

On Sun, Dec 07, 2025 at 09:31:22PM -0700, Jonathan Corbet wrote:
> Laurent Pinchart writes:
> 
> > This is a pretty good summary. It's missing one point in my opinion,
> > partly related to the legal stance: the ethical stance.
> >
> > The Linux kernel is governed by the GPL. There are contributors who care
> > about the copyleft aspect of the license. Even if the legal issues get
> > cleared in the future, not everybody will agree that usage of GPL code
> > as input to create proprietary LLMs is ethical:
> 
> Somebody needs to say this: that is an important ethical question, but
> it is far from the only one:
> 
> - The creation of these LLM systems imposes significant costs on anybody
>   trying to run any sort of open resource on the Internet.  I have
>   ranted at length about this... Konstantin has been rather more
>   restrained, but the effects of this industry on kernel.org have been
>   significant and expensive.  Using these systems makes us a part of the
>   problem.
> 
> - Before generating code in this way, we should think about the
>   jet-engine turbines now powering data centers.  We work on Linux to
>   create a better world; wrecking its climate is not conducive to that
>   goal.
> 
> - The BitKeeper experience showed us what can happen when we make our
>   processes dependent on proprietary software.  We should not forget
>   that lesson regardless of how shiny the new toys look.
> 
> I'll stop now :)

I hope you won't, someone needs to keep being vocal about those crucial
points :-) I often feel pretty lonely when I raise those concerns, it's
important to show people they're not alone.

-- 
Regards,

Laurent Pinchart