Thank you, seconded. Enrico
On Tue, Aug 11, 2026 at 04:10:00PM +0200, Gard Spreemann wrote: > Date: Tue, 11 Aug 2026 16:10:00 +0200 > From: Gard Spreemann <[email protected]> > To: [email protected] > Subject: Ballot option: Debian is created by humans > > Hello all, > > Some of us feel that we lack a middle of the road option that > differentiates between the output of LLMs entering into Debian, and a > Debian contributor consuming the output of LLMs to assist them in work > on Debian. I therefore submit the following ballot option. > > I realize that there is a large number of options already, but we do > have a voting system that is unperturbed by that. While a large number > of options might mean extra work for voters, I on balance believe that > it is more important that all views are reflected. > > Thanks to all those who participated in the discussions and gave > feedback, and to those who worked on other attempts at middle of the > road options reflecting the abovementioned distinction. > > NB: The proposal uses the term "generative AI" to mean what some other > proposals call "LLMs" or just "AI". Several people suggested that I > change the term, and while I agree that it's quite suboptimal, I also > don't think those two other alternatives are much better. Yet other, > shall we say more colorful, alternatives can be nice, but run the risk > of not conveying the same meaning to everyone. For better or worse, the > term as it stands is at least *understood*. If the ballot option does > get enough seconds, I would not object to changing the term to another > standard term as part of a minor editorial change. > > > Best, > Gard > > > ----- BEGIN BALLOT OPTION ----- > > > # Debian is created by humans > > > ## Preamble > > This proposal aims to ensure that contributions directly to Debian are > created by humans, while at the same time avoiding restrictions on the > tools those humans may choose to use when contributing. > > The proposal deals with *direct* contributions to Debian, including, but > not limited to: > > * Debian packaging > * Submissions (messages, bug reports, patches, etc.) to the BTS, Salsa, > mailing lists and other Debian platforms > * Debian project software > * Debian infrastructure > * Debian web resources > * Documentation and translation added as part of contributing to Debian > * Official communication from Debian > > The proposal does not cover *indirect* contributions, i.e. those > originating from upstream works. > > Generative AI is characterized by producing output of a nature that > would ordinarily be produced and consumed by humans. The proposal seeks > to restrict this output itself from entering Debian (except possibly > indirectly, from upstream). It does not seek to restrict Debian > contributors from consuming such output as part of contributing to > Debian. > > > ## Rationale > > Debian has a well-earned reputation for stability. This stability is > crucial to its position in the free software ecosystem. It is our belief > that a significant part of this stability comes from Debian contributors > having mutual understanding, trust and respect for each others' work and > precious time. Generative AI tends to come with practical, legal, > ethical or ecological concerns that warrant care or extra work that > often ends up being borne by people other than those wielding the AI. We > believe that this asymmetry between contributors leveraging generative > AI to produce material, and those humans who bear that extra care and > work, will erode the project's mutual understanding, trust and respect. > > While Debian has a long-standing tradition of strict rules for what goes > into the distribution, it does not typically dictate what tools people > use when contributing to the project. With this principle in mind, the > proposal does not affect the use of generative AI as an assisitive tool > to explore, research, analyze, critique, etc., when contributing. The > responsibilities that come with using the output of an AI in such a role > is then not transferred onto the wider project in the same problematic > way as when the output itself is the contribution. > > > ## Proposal > > In order to safeguard the project's mutual understanding, trust and > respect, we disallow the output of generative AI as direct contributions > to Debian. > > Those who use such tools assistively in their work are reminded to > ensure that the resulting contribution is in line with the DFSG and the > Social Contract in general. > > In summary, humans create Debian. > > > ## Acknowledgements > > This proposal is inspired by GCC's AI Policy [1] and rust-lang's LLM > Usage Policy [2]. Its wording is influenced by another ballot > option [3]. > > [1] https://gcc.gnu.org/ai-policy.html > > [2] https://forge.rust-lang.org/policies/llm-usage.html > > [3] https://www.debian.org/vote/2026/vote_002#texta > > > ----- END BALLOT OPTION -----
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