Wednesday, May 22, 2024

NetBSD is Banned AI Generated Code


The open-source software development world is once again abuzz with debate surrounding the use of artificial intelligence (AI). Following Gentoo Linux's outright ban on AI-generated code in their distro, it's now NetBSD's turn, a popular Unix-based operating system, to implement strict policies regarding this matter.

NetBSD Rejects AI-Generated Code

In an official announcement, NetBSD declared that code produced by Large Language Models (LLMs) like OpenAI's ChatGPT and GitHub/Microsoft's Copilot is considered "tainted." This term refers to the unclear copyright and licensing status of such code. As a result, AI-generated code cannot be included in the NetBSD repository.

Reasons Behind the New Policy

This new policy is based on several key concerns of NetBSD:

  • Copyright Uncertainty: LLMs are trained using massive amounts of data from various sources. This potentially results in code containing snippets of copyrighted code from different sources, including proprietary ones.

  • License Violations: NetBSD has a strict licensing policy. Code submitted to the repository must have a license that allows free distribution. With the ambiguity of AI-generated code's origin, NetBSD finds it difficult to ensure compliance with such licenses.

  • Ethical and Legal Issues: The process of AI code generation still sparks debate. There are concerns that AI could produce code that violates ethics or even potentially lead to legal issues in the future.

Strict Policy: Written Approval Required

To avoid these risks, NetBSD has implemented a rather strict policy:

  • Code Origin Verification: Developers are required to ensure that the code they submit comes from a clear source and has proper authorization.

  • Written Approval from Core Team: If developers still want to use AI-generated code, they must obtain written approval from members of the NetBSD core team. This is done to further evaluate potential licensing and ethical issues.

Difficult to Prove Code Origin

Despite this policy, there is currently no definitive way to distinguish whether code was written by a human or generated by AI. However, NetBSD's move demonstrates their commitment to maintaining transparency and freedom of code distribution in their projects.

Impact and Future

NetBSD's policy has triggered mixed reactions. On the one hand, the move is seen as necessary to maintain code quality and security. On the other hand, some are concerned that it could hinder software innovation and development.

The debate surrounding AI usage in software development is likely to continue. NetBSD, along with Gentoo Linux, has taken a firm step in regulating its use. These decisions may set a precedent for other open-source projects in the future.

via emka.web.id

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