Document: WR-028                                                 P. Webb
                                                              2026.11.02

                              Linus on AI

Body

   > I don't understand this whole idiotic concept of "don't use AI
   > for X".
   >
   > Here's a new rule just for you: don't use compilers for any of your
   > kernel submissions.
   >
   > Because if you can't show that you really understand what the
   > machine is actually doing by writing your code in assembler, then I
   > don't want to see your code contribution. You clearly aren't
   > competent if you can't write it that way.
   >
   > And btw, you had better not use an editor to write that commit
   > message either.
   >
   > Because I need you to show me that you can actually write a good
   > commit message without using tools that make it easy to backspace
   > and hide the mistakes you made while typing.
   >
   > Ok?
   >
   > Because otherwise those tool-assisted commits of yours clearly
   > aren't showing that you know what you are doing.
   >
   > Do you not see how UTTERLY STUPID those kinds of rules would be?
   >
   > So no. We're not going to make stupid rules that say "you can't use
   > tools for X".
   >
   > The kind of expectations *I* have is that people do their best and
   > I expect people to understand what they are doing.
   >
   > But that understanding has very little to do with what tools
   > they use.
   >
   > And quite honestly, in my experience, the people I respect and call
   > intelligent are not the ones that shy away from using new and
   > interesting tools.

   Well said.

   via[1]

References

   [1] <https://lore.kernel.org/lkml/CAHk-=whTs09_ozN+e09GU68N1wPP56MUzDjrg9rnKxQUa0A_4Q@mail.gmail.com/>