If AI Writes the Code, Who Builds the Next Open Source Project?

AI's rapid rise is creating multiple pressures on the open source ecosystem. Training LLMs on open source code raises unresolved fair use and copyright questions, while AI-generated code itself may not be copyrightable under current law. Agentic AI can now clone entire open source projects using existing test suites as feedback loops, raising both legal and moral questions about clean-room reimplementation. Maintainers face growing noise from low-quality AI-generated contributions and autonomous bots. Most critically, as AI agents absorb the friction of working with poorly designed libraries, the human frustration that historically motivated developers to create new open source projects may disappear — potentially undermining the cultural engine that drives open source innovation.