Impact of Artificial Intelligence on Open-Source Software Development

Open-source software has long been a catalyst for innovation. However, the rise of Artificial Intelligence (AI) is transforming the open source landscape, reshaping code development, project management, and community contributions among other aspects of open-source projects. This research presents a systematic literature review to examine and categorize how AI impacts open-source development. Our findings suggest that AI drives the creation and innovation of open-source projects, supercharges development and project management practices within the open source community, and augments the quality and security of projects while raising important ethical considerations. Our study further identifies trends associated with AI, particularly generative AI, and assesses how AI tools may both challenge and enhance processes such as code review and repository management. These insights contribute to a deeper understanding of AI’s transformative role in the open-source ecosystem.