Linux creator Linus Torvalds has revealed using Google Antigravity AI to generate code in his GPL-licensed AudioNoise project, signalling growing acceptance of AI-assisted development in open source.
Linus Torvalds, the creator of Linux and Git, has publicly acknowledged using Google Antigravity, an AI coding tool, in an open-source GitHub project called AudioNoise. The admission marks a notable moment for AI-assisted coding within the open source ecosystem, given Torvalds’ long-standing influence on software engineering practices.
Torvalds confirmed that parts of AudioNoise were developed using what is popularly referred to as “vibe coding”, a workflow in which an AI model generates code directly from natural-language prompts. In particular, the Python-based audio sample visualiser included in the repository was largely produced using Google Antigravity rather than being written manually.
In the project’s README, Torvalds wrote: “Also note that the python visualizer tool has been basically written by vibe-coding. I know more about analog filters — and that’s not saying much — than I do about python. It started out as my typical ‘google and do the monkey-see-monkey-do’ kind of programming, but then I cut out the middle-man — me — and just used Google Antigravity to do the audio sample visualiser.”
AudioNoise is published as an open source repository under the GPLv2 licence, underscoring that AI-generated code can coexist with established open-source licensing models. The project is described as a hobbyist exploration of digital audio effects, focusing on digital signal processing and guitar pedal design.
The repository includes simple C implementations of delays, filters, and other effects, alongside the AI-assisted Python visualisation tool. Torvalds’ candid disclosure highlights how even highly experienced developers may rely on AI tools for tasks outside their primary expertise, while reinforcing that human judgement and oversight remain essential.
