Linus Torvalds on AI contribution rules

Linus Torvalds rejects any blanket ban on using AI tools for contributions, arguing that rules forbidding tool use are nonsensical. He compares such prohibitions to telling people not to use compilers or editors, pointing out the absurdity of requiring contributors to do everything by hand to prove competence. He directly challenges the idea that tool-assisted work is inherently less valid, ridiculing the notion that a good commit message or correct code must be produced without assistance to demonstrate understanding.

His core point is that what matters is the contributor’s actual knowledge and responsibility, not the specific tools they used. Torvalds insists maintainers should expect people to understand and stand behind their changes, whether those changes were drafted with AI, an editor, or a compiler. He respects developers who embrace useful new tools and argues the community should focus on evaluating the substance and correctness of contributions rather than imposing "stupid rules" that police how people work.