Avoiding generative AI development tools

by Timid Robot Zehta on 2025-12-01 community open-source

At this time, the Creative Commons (CC) Technology team has concluded that generative AI development tooling does not pass a cost/benefit analysis for contributing to our open source projects. Until further notice, we will not accept CC Open Source submissions that include code or content generated with AI.

Overhyped

Generative AI productivity claims are often championed (and paid for) by those who reap a material benefit from adoption of AI tooling. Adoption rates are inflated by a lack of choice when AI tools are included by default and often cannot be disabled (EditorDavid, 2025). We’ve observed that arguments for their adoption too often appeal to a fear of missing out or potential future benefits.

Inefficiency and slop

Our current evaluation of generative AI development tooling is that it does not offer a benefit to our open source projects nor to the user of the AI tooling. Indeed, "when developers use AI tools, they take 19% longer than without—AI makes them slower." (METR, 2025). A recent report from MIT NANDA indicates "that 95% of organizations are getting zero return [from generative AI]." (Challapally et al., 2025). AI tooling enables the creation of spurious work for reviewers. For example, see the following comment on an AI slop submission:

This code does not call curl. This is not a "POC" of anything than [sic] suggesting you did this with an AI and that you do not understand what you're doing here.
Please identify the exact line of curl source code that has the problem you say exists.
(badger, 2025)

Counterproductive

Especially for our contributors, when we participate in work programs like Google Summer of Code (GSoC) or Outreachy, AI tools train the wrong skills. We want contributors who are learning the technologies that underpin our open source projects.

I listened to an industry representative say that he wants students to have “design thinking and the ability to ask questions” without recognizing that the student use of AI tools he advocates will stunt their critical thinking skills, making it impossible for them to ask questions and do interesting “design thinking.”.
(Valeries, 2025)

Responsibility and solidarity

In addition to concerns with how AI development tools might negatively impact our day-to-day, the Technology team has concerns about how generative AI technology is created and implemented/deployed. Even if generative AI development tools were actually helpful, the Technology team would be reluctant to use tools that were developed in a way that harmed others, that are funded by deployments/implementations that harm others, and that offer short-term benefits at an existential cost.

References

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