AI co-authored commits: 3 open-source projects in 2023, 686 of 874 in 2026 (borehole.dev)

In a significant shift for open-source development, the use of AI agents as co-authors in commits surged from just three projects in 2023 to 686 out of 874 projects by 2026. This represents an increase from less than 1% of commits involving AI declarations to an average of 8.9%. Notably, 96 projects have integrated AI co-authorship in a quarter or more of their commits, indicating a growing acceptance and reliance on AI tools for coding assistance. The data highlights how rapidly projects have adopted AI contributions, particularly those initiated after 2020, which reported a median share of 8.2%. The implications of this trend for the AI and machine learning community are profound. AI-assisted development not only enhances coding efficiency but also raises important discussions about authorship and policy in open-source contributions. Currently, 206 projects have established policies surrounding AI-generated contributions, while many others are utilizing AI support without formal declarations. As the norms surrounding AI integration in coding continue to evolve, the need for clear guidelines and practices will be critical to maintain transparency and accountability in software development.