LibreOffice Says No AI Is Now a Feature as It Rules Out Default AI for Foreseeable Future

Vignoli wrote that the productivity suite is not categorically opposed to AI. But he said an office suite used by tens of millions of people will not add a feature to its default configuration until that feature can be delivered under conditions defined by the project in accordance with its principles. The foundation framed the absence of AI as deliberate: 'No AI is now a feature,' LibreOffice said.

The Document Foundation criticized other office software for making AI features present even when users choose not to use them. 'It must be installable, removable, and absent from the user interface for those who do not wish to use it,' the blog post said, according to TechRadar. TechRadar described the criticism as seemingly aimed at hyperscaler rivals such as Microsoft 365 and Google Workspace.

LibreOffice's principles include no telemetry, no dependence on a single provider, no content leaving the computer without user permission and uncompromised ODF formatting. The developers concluded that no viable AI option currently meets all those standards. As a result, the suite will not include AI features in its default setup for now.

Vignoli said the criteria do not amount to a definitive rejection. He acknowledged that advancements in AI could soon produce a viable option. For the time being, however, LibreOffice will remain without a default AI installation. Users who want AI can choose to add extensions on their own, even if those extensions would not otherwise abide by the foundation's principles.

The position comes after LibreOffice 26.8 launched and drew apparent backlash over missing AI features. The foundation's argument is that privacy, security and user control take priority over adding AI by default. The blog post said the project has a responsibility to deliver smooth software to its millions of users.