Re: Ballot option: Debian is created by humans

Steve McIntyre <[email protected]> Wed, 12 Aug 2026 11:13:14 +0100
Newsgroups	gmane.linux.debian.devel.vote
Message-ID	<[email protected]>
Thanks for this Gerd!

I second this ballot option.

On Tue, Aug 11, 2026 at 04:10:00PM +0200, Gard Spreemann wrote:
>
>----- 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 -----


-- 
Steve McIntyre, Cambridge, UK.                                [email protected]
  Getting a SCSI chain working is perfectly simple if you remember that there
  must be exactly three terminations: one on one end of the cable, one on the
  far end, and the goat, terminated over the SCSI chain with a silver-handled
  knife whilst burning *black* candles. --- Anthony DeBoer
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