Linus Torvalds says using AI for a personal project does not mean Linux is changing

Torvalds used an AI tool to generate a Python visualizer for a small personal audio project, and that code is not part of the Linux kernel or other core projects.

Linus Torvalds recently acknowledged using an AI coding tool while working on a personal hobby project. He described the work as "vibe coding" and said it applied to non-critical parts of the project. The repository in question, AudioNoise, is a small guitar-pedal-related experiment and does not touch the Linux kernel or other major systems. Torvalds has long criticised AI hype but has also said he is not opposed to limited, practical uses of AI. Key facts: - Torvalds used an AI tool (mentioned as Google Antigravity) to generate a Python visualizer component for a personal repository called AudioNoise. - AudioNoise is described by Torvalds as a "silly guitar pedal related project" and is not part of the Linux kernel, Git, or widely deployed systems. - Torvalds has said that "vibe coding" is acceptable for unimportant code and that he historically copied small code fragments from forums when outside his comfort zone. - He has criticised exaggerated AI claims, while also noting that large language models can help find problems and democratise coding opportunities. - The developer community remains divided about how much trust to place in AI-generated code and what role AI should play in software work. Summary: This episode highlights a limited, practical use of AI by Torvalds in a non-critical, personal project and does not indicate a change in core Linux development practices. Discussion among developers about AI's role continues. Undetermined at this time.