[PATCH v3] docs/process: document AI-assisted patch tags

[PATCH v3] docs/process: document AI-assisted patch tags

[Cody Zuschlag]

Add documentation for the Assisted-by tag to clarify how
AI-assisted tooling may be disclosed in Xen patches.

The guidance follows the Linux kernel documentation.

Assisted-by: ChatGPT:gpt-5.5
Signed-off-by: Cody Zuschlag <cody.zuschlag@gmail.com>
---
Changes in v3:
- Align wording more closely with Linux kernel guidance.
- Use verbatim Linux wording where practical.
- Use MUST NOT wording for AI agents adding Signed-off-by tags.

Changes in v2:
- Drop unintended executable bit change.

 docs/process/sending-patches.pandoc | 30 +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
 1 file changed, 30 insertions(+)

diff --git a/docs/process/sending-patches.pandoc b/docs/process/sending-patches.pandoc
index 798ecceb..79e24af1 100644
--- a/docs/process/sending-patches.pandoc
+++ b/docs/process/sending-patches.pandoc
@@ -195,6 +195,27 @@ E.g.:
 
     Requested-by: Jane Doe <jane.doe@example.org>
 
+### Assisted-by:
+
+When AI tools contribute to Xen development, proper attribution
+helps track the evolving role of AI in the development process.
+Contributions should include an `Assisted-by:` tag in the
+following format:
+
+    Assisted-by: AGENT_NAME:MODEL_VERSION [TOOL1] [TOOL2]
+
+Where:
+
+* `AGENT_NAME` is the name of the AI tool or framework
+* `MODEL_VERSION` is the specific model version used
+* `[TOOL1] [TOOL2]` are optional specialized analysis tools used
+  (e.g., coccinelle, sparse, smatch, clang-tidy)
+
+Basic development tools (git, gcc, make, editors) should not be listed.
+
+Example:
+
+    Assisted-by: Claude:claude-3-opus coccinelle sparse
+
 ### Signed-off-by:
 
 This mandatory tag specifies the author(s) of a patch (for each author a
@@ -209,6 +230,15 @@ E.g.:
 The author must be a natural person (not a team or just a company) and the
 `Signed-off-by:` tag must include the real name of the author (no pseudonym).
 
+AI agents MUST NOT add `Signed-off-by:` tags. Only humans can legally
+certify the Developer Certificate of Origin (DCO). The human submitter
+is responsible for:
+
+* Reviewing all AI-generated code
+* Ensuring compliance with licensing requirements
+* Adding their own `Signed-off-by:` tag to certify the DCO
+* Taking full responsibility for the contribution
+
 By signing the patch with her/his name the author explicitly confirms to have
 made the contribution conforming to the `Developer's Certificate of Origin`:
 
-- 
2.45.0

Re: [PATCH v3] docs/process: document AI-assisted patch tags

[Stefano Stabellini]

On Wed, 27 May 2026, Cody Zuschlag wrote:
> Add documentation for the Assisted-by tag to clarify how
> AI-assisted tooling may be disclosed in Xen patches.
> 
> The guidance follows the Linux kernel documentation.
> 
> Assisted-by: ChatGPT:gpt-5.5
> Signed-off-by: Cody Zuschlag <cody.zuschlag@gmail.com>

Reviewed-by: Stefano Stabellini <sstabellini@kernel.org>

Re: [PATCH v3] docs/process: document AI-assisted patch tags

[Anthony PERARD]

[-- Attachment #1: Type: text/plain, Size: 519 bytes --]

On Wed, May 27, 2026 at 07:45:28PM +0200, Cody Zuschlag wrote:
> Add documentation for the Assisted-by tag to clarify how
> AI-assisted tooling may be disclosed in Xen patches.
> 
> The guidance follows the Linux kernel documentation.
> 
> Assisted-by: ChatGPT:gpt-5.5
> Signed-off-by: Cody Zuschlag <cody.zuschlag@gmail.com>

Acked-by: Anthony PERARD <anthony.perard@vates.tech>

Thanks,


--
Anthony Perard | Vates XCP-ng Developer

XCP-ng & Xen Orchestra - Vates solutions

web: https://vates.tech

Re: [PATCH v3] docs/process: document AI-assisted patch tags

[Roger Pau Monné]

On Wed, May 27, 2026 at 07:45:28PM +0200, Cody Zuschlag wrote:
> Add documentation for the Assisted-by tag to clarify how
> AI-assisted tooling may be disclosed in Xen patches.
> 
> The guidance follows the Linux kernel documentation.
> 
> Assisted-by: ChatGPT:gpt-5.5
> Signed-off-by: Cody Zuschlag <cody.zuschlag@gmail.com>

Acked-by: Roger Pau Monné <roger.pau@citrix.com>

Thanks, Roger.

Re: [PATCH v3] docs/process: document AI-assisted patch tags

[Jan Beulich]

On 27.05.2026 19:45, Cody Zuschlag wrote:
> Add documentation for the Assisted-by tag to clarify how
> AI-assisted tooling may be disclosed in Xen patches.
> 
> The guidance follows the Linux kernel documentation.
> 
> Assisted-by: ChatGPT:gpt-5.5
> Signed-off-by: Cody Zuschlag <cody.zuschlag@gmail.com>

Acked-by: Jan Beulich <jbeulich@suse.com>

Re: [PATCH v3] docs/process: document AI-assisted patch tags

[Andrew Cooper]

On 27/05/2026 6:45 pm, Cody Zuschlag wrote:
> Add documentation for the Assisted-by tag to clarify how
> AI-assisted tooling may be disclosed in Xen patches.
>
> The guidance follows the Linux kernel documentation.
>
> Assisted-by: ChatGPT:gpt-5.5
> Signed-off-by: Cody Zuschlag <cody.zuschlag@gmail.com>
> ---
> Changes in v3:
> - Align wording more closely with Linux kernel guidance.
> - Use verbatim Linux wording where practical.
> - Use MUST NOT wording for AI agents adding Signed-off-by tags.
>
> Changes in v2:
> - Drop unintended executable bit change.
>
>  docs/process/sending-patches.pandoc | 30 +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
>  1 file changed, 30 insertions(+)
>
> diff --git a/docs/process/sending-patches.pandoc b/docs/process/sending-patches.pandoc
> index 798ecceb..79e24af1 100644
> --- a/docs/process/sending-patches.pandoc
> +++ b/docs/process/sending-patches.pandoc
> @@ -195,6 +195,27 @@ E.g.:
>  
>      Requested-by: Jane Doe <jane.doe@example.org>
>  
> +### Assisted-by:
> +
> +When AI tools contribute to Xen development, proper attribution
> +helps track the evolving role of AI in the development process.
> +Contributions should include an `Assisted-by:` tag in the
> +following format:
> +
> +    Assisted-by: AGENT_NAME:MODEL_VERSION [TOOL1] [TOOL2]
> +
> +Where:
> +
> +* `AGENT_NAME` is the name of the AI tool or framework
> +* `MODEL_VERSION` is the specific model version used
> +* `[TOOL1] [TOOL2]` are optional specialized analysis tools used
> +  (e.g., coccinelle, sparse, smatch, clang-tidy)
> +
> +Basic development tools (git, gcc, make, editors) should not be listed.
> +
> +Example:
> +
> +    Assisted-by: Claude:claude-3-opus coccinelle sparse
> +
>  ### Signed-off-by:
>  
>  This mandatory tag specifies the author(s) of a patch (for each author a
> @@ -209,6 +230,15 @@ E.g.:
>  The author must be a natural person (not a team or just a company) and the
>  `Signed-off-by:` tag must include the real name of the author (no pseudonym).
>  
> +AI agents MUST NOT add `Signed-off-by:` tags. Only humans can legally
> +certify the Developer Certificate of Origin (DCO). The human submitter
> +is responsible for:
> +
> +* Reviewing all AI-generated code
> +* Ensuring compliance with licensing requirements
> +* Adding their own `Signed-off-by:` tag to certify the DCO
> +* Taking full responsibility for the contribution
> +
>  By signing the patch with her/his name the author explicitly confirms to have
>  made the contribution conforming to the `Developer's Certificate of Origin`:
>  

I've tried committing this, and both the hunk headers are malformed. 
They're off-by-one line on the + side.

Also, while this is what Linux says, none of those specialised tools
operate on the Xen repo (patches for coccinelle were posted years ago
but not taken.  sparse and smatch need instrumented headers which we
don't have.  clang-tidy can in principle be used but it's not plumbed
nicely and is hard to use).

I'm going to send a v4 which is a well formed patch, and limits it to
just AI tools.

~Andrew