r/opensource bans anything made with AI. Critics: "So the Linux kernel is banned too?"

"Your tokens aren't valuable: No more AI." Under that title, a moderator of Reddit's r/opensource announced Oct 24 that projects that use AI, are made by AI, or are built for AI are no longer welcome.

Under the new rules, projects must be at least a year old and actively maintained, have multiple contributors (roughly three or more), and already have a community. Capstone-style projects and AI tooling such as MCP servers are out, and posters need accounts over a year old with significant Reddit activity. Messaging the mods after a removal gets you permanently banned; the moderator estimated 20 messages a day from "slop projects and burner accounts" seeking exceptions. Non-English speakers were told to find another community, since mods can't tell AI-written from AI-translated text.

The backlash was quick. The Lunduke Journal noted the rule would mean banning anything involving the Linux kernel, drawing 3,000 likes on X. Epic Games CEO Tim Sweeney replied with one word: "Redditors." A post saying Reddit itself runs on Linux, "which now has AI contributions," so the sub "has to delete itself" passed 1,000 likes.

Solo maintainers with no AI in sight pushed back too. "My project I've actively maintained for nine years, has 300+ stars on github… and uses exactly zero AI is no longer welcome here because I am the only contributor?" one commenter wrote. Another compared it to entry-level jobs that demand three years of experience.