While projects like QEMU consider limited acceptance of AI-assisted patches, Flathub has taken the opposite approach by strengthening its Generative AI policy. Flathub now explicitly bans AI-generated or AI-assisted applications and extends this restriction to the entire submission process.
This change was introduced in Flathub’s documentation repository with a commit titled “Reword LLM policy to make it clear it’s not allowed.” The update broadens the requirements for app authors, replacing earlier language focused on low-quality AI-generated submissions with a rule that covers both applications and the materials used to package them for Flathub.
The revised policy applies to both the application and the submission process, including the manifest, metadata, patches, build scripts, and pull requests. It also clarifies that applications encompass BaseApps, extensions, and any artifacts produced by flatpak-builder.
In light of this, submission PRs must not be generated, opened, or automated using AI tools or agents. Flathub also requests that submitters do not seek AI-based reviews in pull requests, including automated Copilot reviews on GitHub.
The most significant change, however, concerns application content. Flathub now prohibits applications containing any AI-generated or AI-assisted code, documentation, or other content. This replaces previous language that only restricted submissions where most code was AI-generated without meaningful human involvement or where code quality was low.
The revised policy also updates language regarding copyright and licensing. It now covers applications or changes containing copyrighted, license-incompatible, or ethically questionable code, rather than only submissions or changes. Such submissions may be rejected without further review, and repeated violations can result in a permanent ban from future submissions and activities.
The policy allows for exceptions, which may be granted for mature, well-maintained projects. However, the documentation does not specify an approval process for these cases.
The changes were announced by Bart Piotrowski, a Flathub maintainer, with a post on his Mastodon profile.
With some flatpaks on flathub already not being maintained as often as there snap alternative or not being officially supported compared to the alternative i’m not really sure if this is a good idea. Many projects now use ai to help code and many of those projects are open source. If this means less choices for what can be on flathub people will just go elsewhere for software in my opinion.