Linux founder Linus Torvalds says AI is a “gateway drug” into programming — but cautions about using AI for “serious” work
THE SO WHAT
Torvalds’ framing—AI is great for learning and scaffolding, risky for “serious” unknown-end-state work—matches what many engineering leaders are seeing on the ground. Treat AI coding tools as accelerators for known patterns and legacy refactors, and keep novel architecture and security-critical paths on tighter human review.
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