Drupal AI Policy
When to Use
Use this when you need to understand the current state of drupal.org's AI contribution policy — what rules exist, what's being proposed, and how enforcement works.
Decision
| Aspect | Status | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Disclosure checkboxes | Active | 4 checkboxes on issue template, honor-system |
| Formal written policy | In progress | Governance issue #3565917 — active discussion, no final decision |
| MR template AI section | Proposed | #3570498 — adding AI disclosure to merge request descriptions |
| AI label for issues | Proposed | #3568936 — tagging system for AI-involved contributions |
| Reviewer guidelines | In discussion | #3576537, #3569240 — how maintainers should review AI patches |
| Automated detection | None | No tooling to detect undisclosed AI usage |
Pattern
AI as Tool vs AI as Author:
| Dimension | AI as Tool (Assisted) | AI as Author (Generated/Vibe) |
|---|---|---|
| Who drives decisions | Human | AI |
| Code understanding | Full | Partial to none |
| Review expectation | Normal | Enhanced to full audit |
| Disclosure level | AI Assisted Code | AI Generated / Vibe Coded |
| Community reception | Generally positive | Cautious to skeptical |
Active governance issues: - #3565917 — primary policy debate, no consensus yet - #3574093 — specific rules discussion, some advocate stricter requirements - #3569240 — reviewer guidance from the Drupal AI module project
Enforcement: Currently honor-system. Consequences of non-disclosure: trust erosion, potential credit revocation, increased scrutiny, reputation damage.
Common Mistakes
- Wrong: Waiting for "final" policy before disclosing → Right: Disclosure is expected now, regardless of whether the formal policy is finalized
- Wrong: Assuming one governance issue represents community consensus → Right: Multiple issues with different perspectives exist; read broadly
- Wrong: Ignoring the tool vs author distinction → Right: How you used AI matters as much as whether you used it
- Wrong: Thinking enforcement means detection → Right: No automated detection doesn't mean no consequences; reviewers notice patterns