Linux Kernel Adds 'Assisted-by' Tag to Formally Acknowledge AI Help in Code Contributions
The Linux kernel maintainers updated their patch submission documentation in mid-2025 to introduce new Git trailer tags, most notably 'Assisted-by', which credits any person or tool — including AI — that substantively helped write, debug, or shape a code patch. The change was pushed through the maintainer chain as a practical response to developers already using AI tools, since existing trailer tags did not accurately capture that type of contribution. Unlike automated outputs, the Assisted-by tag must be placed by a human, preserving personal accountability while recording the source of assistance. The update is expected to influence broader software development practices, as tooling such as checkpatch.pl and maintainer scripts will eventually parse these tags for compliance and code-intelligence purposes. Industry observers note that the kernel's adoption of the convention is likely to prompt enterprises and open-source projects to revise their own AI-disclosure and contribution policies.
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