[FFmpeg-devel] [RFC] Introducing policies regarding "AI" contributions

[Michael Niedermayer]

Hi

On Mon, Jul 07, 2025 at 12:29:44AM +0200, Alexander Strasser via ffmpeg-devel wrote:
> Date: Mon, 7 Jul 2025 00:29:44 +0200
> From: Alexander Strasser <eclipse7 at gmx.net>
> To: FFmpeg development discussions and patches <ffmpeg-devel at ffmpeg.org>
> Subject: Re: [FFmpeg-devel] [RFC] Introducing policies regarding "AI" contributions
> 
> Hi Michael!
> 
> On 2025-07-04 12:15 +0200, Michael Niedermayer wrote:
> > The use of tools to assist developers is growing and will
> > continue to grow. Its not going away.
> > And what one can and cannot do with these tools will evolve
> > 
> > I dont think i understand the thought process behind this policy.
> 
> I did not propose any policy in particular yet. So I'm not
> sure what you are referring to.

a policy is premature.


[...]

> More importantly I see no way for the license part to work out
> automagically. In how far is the result a derivative other works?
> How would we apply attribution where original works demand it?
> How do we now the generated code is not just a mostly exact copy
> of the original training material?

How do you know that a student that was a tought C by teaching
materials licensed under AGPL will not produce work that falls under AGPL ?

We should work on FFmpeg, review patches, fix bugs get the release done.
And let people use the tools that work best for them.

I do not want to have to spend time to think about if the use of
tools (code completion?, some few line function prototype,
LLM that fixed spelling errors, ...)
requires a pariah mark on the patch or is "allowed"

Such rules are IMHO not compatible with free software.

It also would be another huge "go away" sign for the next generation
of developers.

Such marking is also a source of disagreements (2 people can easily
disagree on what needs to be marked)

Also if we have a AI policy, we would have to update it as technology
changes. Thats more wasted resources.

thx

[...]

-- 
Michael     GnuPG fingerprint: 9FF2128B147EF6730BADF133611EC787040B0FAB

Freedom in capitalist society always remains about the same as it was in
ancient Greek republics: Freedom for slave owners. -- Vladimir Lenin
-------------- next part --------------
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: signature.asc
Type: application/pgp-signature
Size: 195 bytes
Desc: not available
URL: <https://ffmpeg.org/pipermail/ffmpeg-devel/attachments/20250707/dc280c98/attachment.sig>