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

[Jonathan Corbet <corbet@lwn.net>]

Laurent Pinchart <laurent.pinchart@ideasonboard.com> 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 :)

jon