Linus Torvalds: AI Is Both Pain and Power in Linux Kernel, but Not a Cure-All

Linus Torvalds, creator of Linux, gave an interview at Open Source Summit. The main theme: AI in the Linux kernel is both a pain and a power.

The pain of AI

AI in kernel development can be dangerous:

• Context: AI doesn't understand code history, why a particular module was written
• Optimization: may suggest code that runs fast on new processors but slowly on old ones
• Architectural decisions: AI writes according to patterns from training data, but the kernel requires conscious architectural choices

Torvalds warns: AI is not a replacement for understanding.

The power of AI

But there are benefits:

• Fast boilerplate generation (driver templates, config parsers)
• Error detection through pattern matching (memory leaks, race conditions)
• Test generation
• Automation of tedious work

Abandoning old technologies

Torvalds also confirmed: Linux is stopping support for "museum" architectures. Why keep code in the kernel for processors that nobody uses? It slows down development, complicates testing, wastes memory.

Examples of what's being removed: support for 32-bit ARM (even old screens use 64-bit), specific platforms that are dead.

What it means

Torvalds takes a pragmatic view: AI is a tool, not a panacea. Linux remains open, but requires understanding from developers. Dropping old code is an acknowledgment: evolution requires sacrifices. An optimized kernel, even if it stops supporting 10-year-old chips, is a savings for 99% of users.