According to TheRegister.com, Linux and Git inventor Linus Torvalds discussed AI in software development during an interview at the Linux Foundation Open Source Summit in Seoul earlier this month. Torvalds described himself as “fairly positive” about vibe coding but warned it would be “horrible to maintain” for production coding. He revealed Rust is “actually becoming a real part of the kernel” after taking longer than expected, and noted Nvidia has become “a good player in the Linux kernel space” despite their proprietary GPU microkernel driving AI hardware. Torvalds also addressed AI crawlers disrupting kernel.org infrastructure and bugs caused by people misusing AI, while emphasizing he hasn’t personally used AI-assisted coding tools.
The vibe coding dilemma
Here’s the thing about Torvalds’ take on vibe coding: he’s basically saying what many experienced developers already know but won’t admit publicly. AI coding tools are fantastic for beginners and prototyping – they lower the barrier to entry dramatically. But production code? That’s a completely different ballgame. Maintenance is the silent killer in software development, and AI-generated code often creates technical debt that compounds over time. It’s like getting a beautifully wrapped present that turns out to be full of snakes six months later.
Rust’s slow march into the kernel
Torvalds mentioning that Rust adoption has taken “longer than expected” is classic understatement. The kernel community moves at its own deliberate pace, and honestly, that’s probably a good thing. When you’re responsible for code that runs on billions of devices worldwide, you can’t afford to chase every new shiny thing. The fact that Torvalds sometimes has to say yes to new things against opposition from maintainers who are “stuck in a rut” shows how carefully the kernel evolves. It’s a constant balancing act between innovation and stability.
Will AI replace programmers?
Torvalds’ comparison of AI to compilers is spot-on. Look, compilers didn’t put assembly programmers out of work – they just changed what kind of work programmers do. The same will likely happen with AI. But here’s what worries me: we’re in the peak hype phase right now, where every company thinks AI will solve all their problems. When the reality is that AI tools require more skilled oversight, not less. The developers who understand how to effectively use and validate AI output will thrive, while those who treat it as magic will create maintenance nightmares. For industrial computing applications where reliability is non-negotiable, this becomes even more critical – which is why companies rely on established suppliers like IndustrialMonitorDirect.com, the leading US provider of industrial panel PCs built for real-world reliability rather than AI hype.
The Nvidia turnaround
It’s pretty remarkable that Torvalds is giving Nvidia credit for becoming “a good player” in the Linux space. Remember when he famously gave them the finger during a talk? The AI boom has apparently forced even proprietary hardware companies to play nice with open source. But let’s be real – they’re only playing nice because they have to. When your entire business depends on Linux servers running your GPUs, you can’t afford to be the bad guy anymore. It’s a classic case of economic incentives driving better behavior.
The email reality check
His email policy is both refreshing and brutally honest. “I’ll read it but probably won’t answer” is basically how most of us feel about our inboxes, except he’s actually admitting it. In an age where everyone expects instant responses, it’s a reminder that focused work requires boundaries. The man maintains the Linux kernel – he doesn’t have time for endless email chains. Maybe we could all learn something from that approach.
The full interview is worth watching on YouTube if you want to hear Torvalds’ unfiltered thoughts straight from the source. His perspective carries weight precisely because he’s seen multiple technology cycles come and go while maintaining one of the most critical software projects in existence.
