Essential Guide: 'there Is *zero* Point In Talking About AI Slop. That's Just Plain...

Seems there's no way to avoid the AI debate. Even when you think the debate shouldn't exist.

Where some are sick of AI usage, others are sick of debate about AI usage. And when it comes to mentioning the use of LLMs in kernel documentation, Linux creator Linus Torvalds seems to be very much in the latter camp.

As reported by The Register, Linux kernel engineer for Oracle, Lorenzo Stoakes, recently critiqued Torvalds, arguing that AI tools are not the same as any other tool and need unique documentation and flagging. Stoakes then replied to Dave Hansen, kernel hacker at Intel, saying, "We're noticing a lot more LLM slop than we used to. It is becoming more and more of an issue."

Stoakes argues LLMs have had a negative impact in many areas, "for which you need only take a cursory glance at the world to observe". Furthering this point, Stoakes says, "Thinking LLMs are 'just another tool' is to say effectively that the kernel is immune from this. Which seems to me a silly position."

This is where Torvalds comes into the conversation. He says, "No. Your position is the silly one. There is *zero* point in talking about AI slop. That's just plain stupid. Why? Because the AI slop people aren't going to document their patches as such. That's such an obvious truism that I don't understand why anybody even brings up AI slop."

Torvals argues that he wants no kernel development documentation to mention AI, as "We have enough people on both sides of the 'sky is falling' and 'it's going to revolutionize software engineering', I don't want some kernel development docs to take either stance."

Effectively, the 'it's just a tool' statement is one that backs up this belief. Torvalds says the "AI slop issue" won't be solved through kernel documentation, and AI documentation is, instead "pointless posturing". It is worth noting that Torvalds does see value in AI tools, as expressed back in 2024.

Keep up to date with the most important stories and the best deals, as picked by the PC Gamer team.

"The point is a. For the tech press to not gleefully report that the kernel just accepts AI patches now since hey it's just another tool.

b. To be able to refer back to the document when rejecting series.

Source: PC Gamer