The Godot indie game engine has updated its contribution policy to require all code submissions to be human-authored, a significant move to address a recent influx of problematic AI-generated code. This decision comes after the engine's GitHub repository was overwhelmed with AI pull requests, leading to a backlog and significant delays for human contributors.
In February, contributors described the situation as a "shitshow," with AI-generated code submissions making it difficult to merge legitimate changes and review new contributions. The issue created a bottleneck, with thousands of pull requests remaining unresolved on Godot's GitHub. Project manager Rémi Verschelde noted in February that these AI submissions were "draining and demoralizing" for maintainers.
The new policy, announced recently, aims to curb this issue by explicitly stating that "all code must be human-authored." While AI assistance for menial tasks such as find-and-replace operations or code autocompletion is still permitted, it requires proper disclosure. The engine's existing ban on "vibe coding" remains in effect.
Godot's maintainers emphasized that the demoralizing nature of reviewing AI contributions significantly impacts their willingness to volunteer their time. "Reviewing PRs is already tedious work, but it is rewarding because reviewers generally feel that their efforts are contributing to educating a new contributor," the update reads. "If your feedback on PRs is just being absorbed by a machine and not going towards mentoring a potential future maintainer, it becomes much harder to justify spending your free time on PR review."
Beyond code, the policy also mandates that all communication within messages, such as issue descriptions and pull request explanations, must be human-written. The engine team stated, "When our maintainers volunteer their time to review your issue, PR, or proposal, they do not want to talk to a machine. This is a basic principle of respect."
Godot's stance on AI contributions was already somewhat reserved, with the team previously stating a belief that "human effort results in better and more relevant contributions." However, this updated, more explicit policy is expected to streamline the contribution process and alleviate the bottleneck caused by disregarded preferences. User sentiment appears largely positive, with many expressing relief and hope that the changes will improve the development environment for the popular engine.