LibreOffice avoids AI in its software

LibreOffice, an open-source software suite, has stated it does not integrate artificial intelligence, particularly large language models (LLMs), into its programs. The main developers of LibreOffice, managed by The Document Foundation (TDF), have emphasized that they do not use these AI tools in their work.

Code references to AI tools found

An investigation by a Fediverse user named argv[-1] discovered three code changes in LibreOffice that reference AI tools. These changes, made this year, mention Claude and GitHub Copilot, which are AI-powered coding assistants. The user examined TDF's policies and found apparent contradictions with its stated position on AI.

Specific code changes and their origins

Two of the code changes, made in April, credit Claude for helping identify fixes. One addresses font size inheritance in paragraph styles, and the other enables relative font sizes in cell styles in the Calc component. A third change, made in September, adds a copy image button to the screenshot window and cites GitHub Copilot, which was used in the VS Code editor to generate a class.

TDF clarifies its stance on AI use

TDF explains that its main developers do not use LLMs, and any other code comes from external contributors. The foundation does not maintain a list of prohibited tools but asks contributors to report any use of LLMs, which it discourages. Each proposed change is reviewed to ensure the code quality and that the contributor understands it.

TDF defends its approach to AI

Italo Vignoli, a TDF spokesperson, says there is no contradiction in the foundation's position. He explains that recent announcements about LibreOffice 26.8 focused on features for users, not the development process. The version was confirmed to lack generative AI, remote service connections, or network access requirements, which TDF now presents as a key selling point.

Critics question TDF's AI policy

Some critics argue that TDF’s approach is inconsistent, particularly in prohibiting LLMs for commit messages but allowing them in code. Others compare TDF’s method to that of Debian, which permits AI tools for certain contributors with transparency and human review. Many major open-source projects now rely on AI to find and fix code issues, making TDF’s stance increasingly rare.