Linus Torvalds, best known globally as the creator of the Linux kernel and Git, has acknowledged using Google Antigravity, in the development of parts of his new GitHub project, AudioNoise. The admission
marks a notable moment in the ongoing conversation about artificial intelligence’s role in software engineering, particularly because it comes from one of the most respected figures in open-source computing.
In a GitHub README, Torvalds spoke about his new hobby coding project - AudioNoise. He admitted using Google Antigravity to do some of the heacvy lifting. "Also note that the python visualizer tool has been basically written by vibe-coding. I know more about analog filters -- and that's not saying much -- than I do about python. It started out as my typical 'google and do the monkey-see-monkey-do' kind of programming, but then I cut out the middle-man -- me -- and just used Google Antigravity to do the audio sample visualiser," he explained.
'Vibe Coding', a lose term that has gained a lot of popularity among software developers, refers to a development style where an AI model produces code directly from a prompt or series of iterative prompts, enabling rapid prototyping and exploration. While the phrase has gained traction in developer communities over the past year, its application by Torvalds demonstrates the practice extending beyond experimental or fringe usage into more mainstream attention; even seasoned programmers may leverage AI tools for tasks outside their core expertise.
What is AudioNoise?
AudioNoise is an open-source repository published by Torvalds on GitHub under GPLv2 that comprises a collection of simple digital audio effects, intended primarily as a hobbyist exploration of digital signal processing (DSP) and guitar pedal design. The project includes basic C implementations of delays, filters and other effects, alongside a Python script for visualising audio samples. (
According to the project’s README (authored by Torvalds), the Python visualiser component was developed using what he calls vibe coding, with Google’s Antigravity AI tool generating the initial code based on natural-language prompts. Torvalds remarks, in his own words, that he “cut out the middle-man — me — and just used Google Antigravity to do the audio sample visualizer.”
Torvalds’ candid use of an AI system to write working code — even for a side project — carries significance for several reasons. Torvalds has historically been forthright about his opinions on software quality and development practices, and his use of AI speaks volumes on how far the technology has come
The episode resurfaces broader discussions about how generative AI should be used in engineering. Torvalds and other industry voices have cautioned that AI-assisted coding should not replace expert human oversight, especially in critical systems, yet also acknowledged its potential as an entry point into programming.
