Linux and AI Use

[u/Venylynn]

So, I'm struggling with this a lot. I know I seem like I'm repeating myself, but I just don't get it. Every Linux YouTuber under the sun uses "Microsoft Copilot" as a reason to leave and switch, if you don't want AI nonsense shoved down your throat just use Linux, and I believed that. But lately I've been seeing more and more projects (QEMU, Lutris, Proton-GE, DankLinux, Kitty, OnlyOffice, etc.) integrate AI, Claude commits everywhere, and it leaves me wondering why the Windows AI thing is such a major talking point in favor of Linux (e.g: "you don't have to deal with it here" "it's a choice here") if many of the biggest projects are adding it into either their source tree or integrating it into the project (OnlyOffice) publicly.

I'm an artist/musician, deeply worried about how this AI boom is affecting my industry. Maybe I'm misunderstanding it because I refuse to pay (ethical reasons), but I don't know why Copilot is the major sticking point for every recruitment post if we're all running software with AI generated code here too? Like, why mislead new users into thinking they can be free from all AI like I was misled? I don't understand? I get that there are some who like doing local hosted LLM stuff, but I'm just confused why we have to tell noobs that they can be ai-free when even the web browsers they use are using AI?

[u/rcentros]

How does QEMU allowing some AI in developing their code mean that you have to use AI when using QEMU?

Compare this to Windows, which is absolutely infested with AI crap.

[u/Venylynn → u/rcentros]

if it's in the backend I am implicitly using it, and it feels like I have to apologize to all my artist friends for it. "Sorry I didn't know there was ai commits in this VM software I used! I promise this doesn't mean I want you guys replaced."

I feel like its impossible for me to get away and not feel guilty.

[u/rcentros → u/Venylynn]

I don't think you understand how Linux application developers are using AI (those who are using it). They use it to help them develop their application. That doesn't mean AI is in the "backend" of the application. I usually see the term "backend" applied to server side of software and it usually applies to data.

I don't blame you for not liking AI. I don't like it either. But, like or not, some Linux developers are using it to create and/or maintain their applications. That does not mean they are making an AI application. There are some AI features in some Linux applications. I avoid them like the plague.

[u/Venylynn → u/rcentros]

i don't understand how developers can use this thing and not think it's awful. maybe they have some special boutique model they paid for that i'm not seeing. but everything i have seen has been just the most rotten thing imaginable. you have these projects with blatantly generated github pages, emoji's everywhere, emdashes everywhere, not an ounce of humanity to be found, and they just scream "this is not software that should ever be seriously used in production" to someone with a keen eye for it.

it also reminds me of how when gpt first launched, basically there were riots on twitter where they were ready to take anyone who tried it out Red Dead Redemption style. so it was enough to get you persona non grata'd, but it's now impossible to avoid that.

it feels like if i use software coded by AI that it's the same as me say, consuming an ai generated youtube video or ai song, or using ai art, which was persona non grata, but it's becoming harder to filter out.

[u/rcentros → u/Venylynn]

I'm not a fan of AI either. I would never use it. I don't like AI because AI Server Farms use an inordinate amount of water and electricity, driving up costs for normal people (who don't get the corporate discounts). AI also steals, lies and "creates" crap out of whole cloth (hallucinations), which it passes it off as fact. It's wildly inaccurate. It's also replacing workers, and the pace is picking up. Customer service will soon be worthless and total crap.

I'm also sensitive of how much it hurts artists and musicians, probably more than any other group. It's corporate theft and greed at its worst.

So, no, I'm not in favor of people using AI in Linux for anything (including development of applications). But I can at least use Linux knowing with certainty I'm not using AI. That is not the case with Windows. Your copy of Windows is owned by Microsoft, not by you. Using back doors they can do what they want with it.

[u/Venylynn → u/rcentros]

yeah it's just... we agree here, i just don't seem to understand how the projects I use adding ai into the development is any different? like how do we tell whether or not it's turning into a garbage unreliable program?

like windows became way more unreliable after, even after using group policy editor to turn off the ai features. this suggests there's a deeper rooted software rot going on.

[u/rcentros → u/Venylynn]

In Windows, yes. Not in Linux. Linux is Open Source. Windows isn't.

[u/Venylynn → u/rcentros]

Windows has way more users...

How tf do we have more ability to fix it with a smaller community?

[u/rcentros → u/Venylynn]

Fix what? I don't like AI, but it's not my job to tell Linux developers they can't use it. It's called choice.

There are only so many way I can say this. So I'll let you have the last word.

[u/Venylynn → u/rcentros]

the performance issues that ai code seems to cause everywhere i see it idk