This patch kicks the hornet's nest of AI / LLM code generators. With the increasing interest in code generators in recent times, it is inevitable that QEMU contributions will include AI generated code. Thus far we have remained silent on the matter. Given that everyone knows these tools exist, our current position has to be considered tacit acceptance of the use of AI generated code in QEMU.
The question for the project is whether that is a good position for QEMU to take or not ? IANAL, but I like to think I'm reasonably proficient at understanding open source licensing. I am not inherantly against the use of AI tools, rather I am anti-risk. I also want to see OSS licenses respected and complied with. AFAICT at its current state of (im)maturity the question of licensing of AI code generator output does not have a broadly accepted / settled legal position. This is an inherant bias/self-interest from the vendors promoting their usage, who tend to minimize/dismiss the legal questions. >From my POV, this puts such tools in a position of elevated legal risk. Given the fuzziness over the legal position of generated code from such tools, I don't consider it credible (today) for a contributor to assert compliance with the DCO terms (b) or (c) (which is a stated pre-requisite for QEMU accepting patches) when a patch includes (or is derived from) AI generated code. By implication, I think that QEMU must (for now) explicitly decline to (knowingly) accept AI generated code. Perhaps a few years down the line the legal uncertainty will have reduced and we can re-evaluate this policy. Discuss... Changes in v2: * Fix a huge number of typos in docs * Clarify that maintainers should still add R-b where relevant, even if they are already adding their own S-oB. * Clarify situation when contributor re-starts previously abandoned work from another contributor. * Add info about Suggested-by tag * Add new docs section dealing with the broad topic of "generated files" (whether code generators or compilers) * Simplify the section related to prohibition of AI generated files and give further examples of tools considered covered * Remove repeated references to "LLM" as a specific technology, just use the broad "AI" term, except for one use of LLM as an example. * Add note that the policy may evolve if the legal clarity improves * Add note that exceptions can be requested on case-by-case basis if contributor thinks they can demonstrate a credible copyright and licensing status Daniel P. Berrangé (3): docs: introduce dedicated page about code provenance / sign-off docs: define policy limiting the inclusion of generated files docs: define policy forbidding use of AI code generators docs/devel/code-provenance.rst | 315 ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ docs/devel/index-process.rst | 1 + docs/devel/submitting-a-patch.rst | 19 +- 3 files changed, 318 insertions(+), 17 deletions(-) create mode 100644 docs/devel/code-provenance.rst -- 2.43.0
