"To do things I'm weak at." Linux creator explains why he loves AI and what kind
Many open-source developers are distrustful of artificial intelligence. But Linux creator Linus Torvalds admitted the opposite at the Open Source Summit Europe conference, writes Devby.io.
Linus Torvalds. Photo: Amanda Lucier/For The Washington Post via Getty Images
"Actually, I really like using AI," he noted in a conversation with his friend and head of Ericsson, Dirk Hodel.
But he immediately qualified that one should "be very careful using AI when you're doing something real and important." Although he admitted that this wasn't always the case and he used to be skeptical of AI programming.
He added that he doesn't write much code for the kernel.
"To be honest, I don't really do much kernel coding. I'm a maintainer. The Linux kernel is a project where other people do the real work, and I act as a collection point. But I still get enormous enjoyment from programming.
I think AI is a great tool if used correctly and treated purely as a tool, and for me, coding with it is much more enjoyable," Torvalds said.
He added that he started programming around 1981, when computers and programs, with which one could compare one's own programs, were much simpler. Today, he said, everything is different.
"The bar in software development has risen so high that it's hard to see anything worthwhile in your own small efforts, because you're used to all these polished, professional programs. …
Many scoff at vibe-coding, but I think it's a great way to find joy in programming. It gives you a feeling that you're doing something significant. It allows programming novices to do things that would otherwise be very difficult to manage," Torvalds continued.
He added that he likes the view of AI as an "on-ramp drug." He spoke about his pet project — a guitar pedal.
"And I knew what I was doing. I had a user interface that I wrote myself in C, it ran on a microcontroller and displayed on this tiny screen, and I thought, 'This is just stupid. It looks like something from the 80s.' I wanted it to look modern. But I don't write Java. I do kernels," Torvalds shared.
"So I use AI to do things I'm weak at," he added.
Torvalds is already applying AI in his work on the Linux kernel: he wrote a recent experimental branch for memory optimization with the help of Claude Code. In the accompanying letter to the patch, he reported that the code, tests, and first draft of the documentation were created by an AI assistant under his supervision.
At the same time, Torvalds admits that AI tools also have a downside. For example, maintainers are deluged with questionable bug reports and superficial fixes.