LibreOffice Makes No-AI Design a Defining Feature

LibreOffice, the open-source document editor backed by the nonprofit Document Foundation, is doubling down on an increasingly rare software philosophy: staying away from artificial intelligence altogether.

In a recent statement, the organization confirmed it will not incorporate generative AI into its default software package for the foreseeable future—framing the absence as a deliberate strength rather than a limitation.

Why the decision matters#

The push to exclude AI stems from a core concern about data control. LibreOffice emphasizes that tens of millions of users and organizations depend on the software, many handling sensitive or confidential information. The nonprofit argues that keeping AI out of the core product ensures users' documents remain on their devices and are never uploaded to external servers for processing.

"Any organisation handling confidential, legally privileged or personal data needs to know where that data goes," the organization stated. "The only assurance that survives an audit is that it does not leave the machine."

Swimming against the current#

LibreOffice's stance contrasts sharply with industry trends, where software makers routinely pack products with AI features—sometimes to the detriment of usability. This phenomenon has sparked a growing backlash: some developers now actively strip AI from their tools, and platforms like Firefox have added features to block generative AI capabilities.

The core friction centers on how AI systems operate. Most require uploading user data to remote servers where it is processed, stored, and potentially retained indefinitely—dynamics beyond individual users' control.

A path for AI adoption—eventually#

LibreOffice's position is not a blanket rejection of artificial intelligence. The organization acknowledges that no existing AI integration currently meets its stringent standards: data must remain on-device, dependence on any single AI provider must be avoided, and other safeguards must align with the software's privacy-first ethos.

Users interested in AI-powered features can achieve this through extensions that connect LibreOffice to local AI models, giving them choice without compromising the default experience.

The decision reflects LibreOffice's broader mission as part of the expanding ecosystem of designed to offer users refuge from proprietary tech giants.