Humans in the Loop (robbyonrails.com)

The Oh My Zsh core team recently convened at GitHub Universe to discuss the growing influence of AI in their open-source project. This meeting emphasized the importance of direct communication among maintainers, allowing them to address issues related to AI-assisted contributions that are becoming more complex and difficult to review. Contributions driven by AI tools are leading to larger pull requests with less clarity, resulting in uncertainties about the contributors’ understanding of their proposed changes. This situation ultimately places a heavier burden on maintainers, highlighting that while AI can expedite code generation, it does not alleviate the critical review process, which remains the bottleneck in open-source development. In response, the team decided not to create a separate AI policy, but instead integrated guidelines for AI-assisted contributions directly into their existing CONTRIBUTING.md. This new guidance mandates that all contributors fully understand and be accountable for their code, regardless of how AI tools were used in its creation. The intent is to stress the importance of human stewardship in open source, ensuring that every contribution undergoes rigorous review. By clarifying expectations and accountability, the Oh My Zsh team aims to maintain the integrity of their project while adapting to the evolving landscape of AI tools, ensuring that quality remains paramount as these technologies continue to shape software development.