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willingc
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Oct 28, 2026
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| At EuroPython 2026, I facilitated a pilot focus group on how AI tools are changing open source work. Fifteen maintainers from core scientific Python and Linux projects joined a discussion that ran more than two hours. | ||
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| I expected to hear about the time it takes to review AI-assisted code. Instead, the conversation kept returning to something else: the loss of, and uncertainty about, human connection. |
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| I expected to hear about the time it takes to review AI-assisted code. Instead, the conversation kept returning to something else: the loss of, and uncertainty about, human connection. | |
| I expected to hear about the time it takes to review AI-assisted code. Instead, the conversation kept returning to something else: the loss of human connection and the uncertainty around it. |
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| The group covered the full range of AI tool use. Some refuse to use the tools and, in some cases, have left tech because of the strain. Others have fully embraced them, including people in start-up environments where adoption feels like the "only option" to keep up. | ||
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| This post covers how AI tools are affecting the human experience of open source. A follow-up post will cover adoption and the motivations behind it. This pilot was larger and more open-format than the small groups we plan for our [research on how AI tools are changing scientific open source](/blog/ai-tools-research-sloan-funding.html). |
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| This post covers how AI tools are affecting the human experience of open source. A follow-up post will cover adoption and the motivations behind it. This pilot was larger and more open-format than the small groups we plan for our [research on how AI tools are changing scientific open source](/blog/ai-tools-research-sloan-funding.html). | |
| This post covers how AI tools are affecting the human experience of open source. A follow-up post will cover adoption and the motivations behind it. This pilot included a larger group and was more open-format than the small groups we plan for our [research on how AI tools are changing scientific open source](/blog/ai-tools-research-sloan-funding.html). |
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| > We need to see the human on the other side. | ||
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| Maintainers described real joy in helping and mentoring contributors. Someone finds a bug and files a fix. The maintainer helps that contributor get it merged and, along the way, mentors them and builds their open source skills. That interaction fuels many maintainers, including myself. |
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Perhaps add: when contributors are users, the maintainer learns why the project is helpful to the user and influences the project's future direction.
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| ### Shifting motivations | ||
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| Maintainers see contributors chasing resume lines or trying to get past automated hiring filters. Some employers also encourage open source contributions as a way to demonstrate technical skill. Some maintainers call the extreme version "karma farming": opening many pull requests on high-profile projects to build up a GitHub profile. This isn't new, but it now makes up a much larger share of incoming work. |
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| Maintainers see contributors chasing resume lines or trying to get past automated hiring filters. Some employers also encourage open source contributions as a way to demonstrate technical skill. Some maintainers call the extreme version "karma farming": opening many pull requests on high-profile projects to build up a GitHub profile. This isn't new, but it now makes up a much larger share of incoming work. | |
| Maintainers see contributors who are chasing resume bullet points or trying to get past automated hiring filters. Some employers also encourage open-source contributions to demonstrate technical skill. Some maintainers call the extreme version "karma farming": opening many pull requests on high-profile projects to build up a GitHub profile. This isn't new, but it now makes up a much larger share of incoming work. |
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| It is easy to dismiss a low-quality pull request as "AI slop." Some participants pushed back on that label. One maintainer said the real question is whether the contributor is willing to invest their energy in engaging with the project. | ||
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| Assuming AI use is the problem can misjudge a newcomer who wants to get involved. Rejecting their work outright as "slop" doesn't help them. They may simply need guidance on using AI tools thoughtfully. That is a chance to connect and help a well-intentioned contributor build real skills. |
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| Assuming AI use is the problem can misjudge a newcomer who wants to get involved. Rejecting their work outright as "slop" doesn't help them. They may simply need guidance on using AI tools thoughtfully. That is a chance to connect and help a well-intentioned contributor build real skills. | |
| If maintainers assume AI was used, they create a problem by misjudging a newcomer who wants to get involved. Rejecting their work outright as "slop" doesn't help either party. The contributor may simply need guidance on using AI tools thoughtfully. The maintainer can miss the chance to connect and help a well-intentioned contributor build real skills. |
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| The maintainers in our group preferred flexible guidelines to strict rules and policies. Approaches included: | ||
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| * Open an issue before opening a pull request, so a human conversation happens before any contribution. Connect first. |
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I "Connect first." a stray line.
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this is ready for review - it's a piece that we can publish in december about the human side of open source. anyone who reviews it will we will give them credit in the yaml for the review!!