Re: [PATCH 2/3] docs/code-provenance: make the exception process more prominent

[Stefan Hajnoczi <stefanha@redhat.com>]

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On Mon, Sep 22, 2025 at 05:48:41PM +0200, Paolo Bonzini wrote:
> QEMU's AI generated content policy does not flesh out the exception
> process yet.  Do it, while at the same time keeping things informal: ask
> contributors to explain what they would like to use AI for, and let them
> reach a consensus with the project on why it is credible to claim DCO
> compliance in that specific scenario.
> 
> In other words, exceptions do not "solve the AI copyright problem".  They
> take a position that a reasonable contributor could have, and assert that
> we're comfortable with the argument.
> 
> Suggested-by: Daniel P. Berrangé <berrange@redhat.com>
> Signed-off-by: Paolo Bonzini <pbonzini@redhat.com>
> ---
>  docs/devel/code-provenance.rst | 16 ++++++++++------
>  1 file changed, 10 insertions(+), 6 deletions(-)
> 
> diff --git a/docs/devel/code-provenance.rst b/docs/devel/code-provenance.rst
> index dba99a26f64..103e0a97d76 100644
> --- a/docs/devel/code-provenance.rst
> +++ b/docs/devel/code-provenance.rst
> @@ -326,8 +326,13 @@ The QEMU project thus requires that contributors refrain from using AI content
>  generation agents which are built on top of such tools.
>  
>  This policy may evolve as AI tools mature and the legal situation is
> -clarifed. In the meanwhile, requests for exceptions to this policy will be
> -evaluated by the QEMU project on a case by case basis. To be granted an
> -exception, a contributor will need to demonstrate clarity of the license and
> -copyright status for the tool's output in relation to its training model and
> -code, to the satisfaction of the project maintainers.
> +clarified.
> +
> +Exceptions
> +^^^^^^^^^^
> +
> +The QEMU project welcomes discussion on any exceptions to this policy,
> +or more general revisions. This can be done by contacting the qemu-devel
> +mailing list with details of a proposed tool, model, usage scenario, etc.
> +that is beneficial to QEMU, while still mitigating the legal risks to the
> +project.  After discussion, any exception will be listed below.

"Legal risks to the project" is all-encompassing and vague. People may
not know how to start addressing the topic and might therefore not
attempt to request an exception.

I suggest replacing "legal risks to the project" with something more
concrete like "issues around license and copyright status required to
satisfy the Developer Certificate of Origin (DCO) requirements".

> -- 
> 2.51.0
> 

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