The 6 AI-free Linux distros I recommend most - and why

What happened

AI is everywhere, and the technology's tendrils continue finding their way into more and more places. Will we soon see AI in shopping carts, waffle makers, heated blankets -- rocks? OK, maybe AI in rocks is a stretch, but you get the point. Microsoft and Apple are embedding their respective AIs into the heart of their operating systems, and some Linux distributions, such as Omarchy, have followed suit.

Fortunately, not every Linux distribution has plans to add AI into the mix. In fact, several distros have either explicitly taken a stance against AI -- or have a general ethos that ensures AI will not become part of the OS. One thing to know: Just because an OS refuses to ship (or use) AI, it doesn't mean that users can't install it for themselves.

That's up to the end user. Also, not every one of these distro developers has made public statements about not including AI, but their foundations and ethos stand against such things. To that end, I've had to draw conclusions based on my long-term experience and understanding of how these distributions work and evolve. Here are the best of those distros.

Debian has made it clear that AI will never be included in the OS. For Debian, part of the issue is the openness of LLMs. " DFSG stands for Debian Free Software Guidelines, and the developers and community take the standard seriously. Because of this, I cannot see any point at which Debian will include AI with the operating system.

One reason for this is the very nature of Void Linux as a "DIY" Linux distribution. Void Linux starts with just the basics and leaves the rest up to the user. That ethos alone should ensure that AI is never a part of the base. On top of all that, Void is considered a minimalist distro, which means it aims to be as small as possible.

A comment on the MXLinux About Us page, "For some it's a hobby, for some it's paying it forward to the free software community that has given us so much, for some it's a labor of love," makes it clear how the developers honor FSF. It's a safe bet that MXLinux will not ever include AI.

The closest thing you'll find regarding AI and Arch Linux is ArchLinux AI in the Arch User Repository (AUR). Beyond that, there's been no mention of Arch ever including AI in the OS. Also, Arch Linux takes security very seriously, and the inclusion of AI could compromise that (especially given how LLMs have lately shown the ability to escape guardrails with ease).

Consider how Arch has decided to suspend the AUR out of concern for the distro's (and users') safety. Although Arch is a rolling distribution, it's always seemed to be a Linux take that evolves very slowly. The idea that Arch would jump onto the pre-installed AI bandwagon is counter to what the distribution has stood for all of these years.

No, I cannot imagine that Arch will ever ship with AI pre-installed. Want to install it yourself? Go right ahead. " Given that, there's no chance it will ever ship with preinstalled AI. " That stance is based on ethical concerns about data gathering, disproportionate use of electricity and water, potential negative influence, and potential copyright violations. Yeah, AerynOS will never include AI in the OS.

Why it matters

Keep in mind that Debian is the "mother of distributions," because so many distributions (including Ubuntu) use it as a base. This means that all of those distributions beneath it will not have to deal with preinstalled AI. Although the Void developers haven't taken an official public stance on AI in the OS, it's safe to assume we'll never see it ship with AI.

What to watch

Not every Linux distribution has come out with a strong public stance against AI. However, based on my decades of following the Linux and open-source world, I find it safe to assume the distributions above will not be shipping with the Linux equivalent of Copilot or Apple Intelligence any time soon.