Linus Torvalds Dismisses AI Hype: Why He’s Choosing to Ignore Generative AI

Intro: The creator of Linux is interested in AI and related technologies, but the hype means he "basically ignores" it.

Linus Torvalds, the creator of the Linux kernel, believes that most of the industry’s marketing around generative AI is empty talk with no real substance, and that the technology may take many years before it is validated.

Last month at the Open Source Summit in Vienna, when the video‑focused storytelling platform TFiR asked him about modern technologies, especially GenAI (general artificial intelligence), the “reformed” developer gave a speech.

Torvalds said, “I think AI is really interesting, I think it will change the world, but I absolutely hate the hype cycle. I really don’t want to be part of it, so my attitude toward AI now is basically to ignore it.”

“I think the whole tech industry around AI is in a terrible state—90% is marketing, 10% is reality. In five years the situation will change, and then we’ll see AI in real workloads,” he added.

On platform X, an account named “Tsarathustra” has been reposting his video.

He also said OpenAI’s ChatGPT “has delivered impressive demos and is clearly being applied in many fields, such as graphic design, but I really hate the hype cycle.”

The IT industry is known for “boastful marketing tactics,” heavily promoting emerging technologies while actual delivery falls short.

The Linux kernel developer noted this as a real problem: “A few years ago, before AI emerged, the only thing people talked about was cryptocurrency, and I don’t like that hype cycle.”

Later today, investors’ focus will shift back to Google, and Microsoft is also set to release its latest earnings. Microsoft has poured billions into OpenAI, Mistral, and Inflection, while Google is betting on Anthropic.

Both companies are still trying to convince customers of GenAI’s productivity benefits, even though the return on investment seems uncertain and unforeseen governance challenges sometimes lie at the heart of the issue.

Gary Marcus, a professor emeritus at NYU and AI expert, mentioned last week that GenAI has its uses but “is not that reliable.”

“From a broader perspective, everyone is pushing to recoup massive investments in GenAI, but progress is sluggish. 2023 was all hype; in 2024 I see a lot of disillusionment,” Marcus said.

Thus, Torvalds is not the only one taking this stance. He is already wealthy and, unlike some chatbots, does not need to guide users.

He can make his point without even using a single profanity.