Linus Torvalds on Using AI as a Debugging Helper

Linux creator Linus Torvalds recently shared an experience using generative artificial intelligence to help resolve an extremely difficult software debugging session. He described the process as a debug session from hell where the AI tool handled a significant portion of the tedious work.

During the process, the artificial intelligence repeatedly told Torvalds that the problem was completely impossible and unsolvable, suggesting instead that they simply write a report about the failure. Torvalds believes the AI models have been trained by people who lack his level of stubbornness.

Despite wanting to give up multiple times, the AI continued to faithfully add debugging code and analyze the results whenever Torvalds pushed it to keep going. Acknowledging its substantial help with the grunt work, Torvalds gave the AI credit for the success and even let it write the final commit message.