LibreOffice has no generative AI features, and The Document Foundation says it will not add them for the foreseeable future. The organisation says it does not reject AI in principle. Its present decision rests on concerns about where documents go and dependence on a single provider.
What does “no AI” mean here?
The statement concerns the software’s default installation: the source says that LibreOffice contains no generative AI features. That means users opening the standard software do not receive built-in generative AI tools. The foundation says it plans to maintain that position for the foreseeable future. It has not described a date when the policy might be reviewed again.
Why does document handling matter?
The foundation says its design aims to keep users’ documents on their own devices. It has also said that no part of the software needs a network connection to work. Those choices matter to organisations handling confidential, legally privileged or personal material, according to the source. AI tools can send data to remote servers, where users may not control storage practices or retention periods.
The foundation says any integration would need to meet requirements around data staying on the device. It also wants to avoid dependence on one AI provider. The source says no integration currently meets all the organisation’s requirements. The material does not explain how each requirement is assessed or name candidate integrations under consideration.
Can users still connect AI tools?
Yes. The source says users can install software extensions that connect LibreOffice to local AI models. An extension is an optional addition to the software, rather than a feature included in its default installation. The reported approach lets users decide whether to connect such tools. The source does not name specific extensions or describe their setup process.
This distinction means the foundation’s policy on the default software does not prevent every user from choosing AI. The organisation says extensions will remain available for people who want to integrate AI features. The material does not establish whether every extension processes data locally in the same way. Users therefore have an optional route, while the standard software remains without generative AI.
What prompted the current position?
The latest LibreOffice version was released in late August, and the foundation reiterated then that it had no generative AI features. The source describes that as a deliberate design position intended to protect control over documents and avoid a network requirement. A later blog post set out that AI would remain outside the software for the foreseeable future. The account gives no specific publication date for that later post.
The foundation frames its view as an assessment of current technology, not a judgement on the value of AI as a sector. It says it will continue to monitor where the technology is heading. The source reports that LibreOffice is used by tens of millions of people and organisations. It does not provide a more detailed breakdown of those users.
What remains undecided?
The source does not say what technical or provider changes would be enough to meet the foundation’s requirements. It gives no timetable for another decision, and no integration is identified as acceptable today. The confirmed policy is limited to the foreseeable future, leaving later decisions open. The stated next step is to keep monitoring developments while optional extensions remain available.