Linus Torvalds on AI in Linux: a useful tool, and dissenters can fork

Linus Torvalds, the creator and lead maintainer of the Linux kernel, has publicly endorsed the use of artificial intelligence in software development. On 16 July 2026, a statement he posted to the Linux Media Mailing List drew wide attention: "Linux is not an anti-AI project," and AI is "clearly a useful tool."

What exactly did Torvalds say

Linus Torvalds said that, as lead maintainer, he is ready to "stand firm" on AI. In his words, artificial intelligence is an ordinary tool, like the others developers use, and the question of whether it is useful is no longer open. For those who disagree, Torvalds offered the standard open-source route: fork the kernel or leave the project.

Torvalds also took a jab at skeptics: according to him, anyone who doubts the usefulness of AI "clearly hasn't really used it."

• The statement appeared on the Linux Media Mailing List; developer Simon Willison drew attention to it on 16 July 2026
• Linus Torvalds is the author of the Linux kernel (first released in 1991) and its longtime lead maintainer
• Key point: AI is a tool, and the question of its usefulness is "no longer a question today"
• Those who disagree are invited to fork the project or simply leave
• The only question Torvalds calls open is the economics of AI, not its usefulness

"AI is a tool, like other tools we use.

And it is clearly useful. Maybe a year ago this was not as obvious, but today it is no longer a question," — Linus Torvalds, creator of Linux, on the Linux Media Mailing List.

What does this mean for Linux contributors?

The community around the Linux kernel will not officially block AI tools. That is the position of the person who has the final say in the project. Torvalds stresses that a year ago, in mid-2025, the usefulness of AI was not as obvious, but by July 2026 no doubts remain. Those who are not willing to work in a project where AI is considered a legitimate tool, he sends straight to fork the code, which is a basic right of every open-source participant.

"Linux is not an anti-AI project, and if anyone has a problem with that, they can do what people do in open source: fork it.

Or just leave," — Linus Torvalds.

Why this is more than a personal opinion

Torvalds' position carries weight because Linux is the largest open-source project in the world: servers, Android smartphones and cloud infrastructure run on its kernel. When its lead maintainer publicly calls AI a useful tool and promises to "stand firm," it is a signal to thousands of contributors and subsystem maintainers. Torvalds carefully separates two questions: the usefulness of AI, which he considers proven, and its economics. How the market will ultimately be structured is, in his words, still unclear.

Torvalds is also the creator of the Git version control system (2005), on which modern software development rests, so his word on development tooling carries particular weight.

What this means

One of the most authoritative engineers in open source has closed the "do we need AI" debate for his project: people can now argue about money and consequences, but not about usefulness. Torvalds' statement is not a product launch or a study, but it is a cultural marker: even the Linux kernel, a symbol of engineering rigor, is officially accepting AI into its toolkit.