LibreOffice is taking a clear position in a software market crowded with AI features: its core document editor will remain free of built-in AI for the foreseeable future.
The Document Foundation, the nonprofit behind the open source document editor, says this is not a blanket rejection of AI. It is a decision about what belongs in the default product today, especially for users and organizations that need control over where their documents go.
No AI in the default install
The nonprofit said in a blog post this week that it "will not add" AI to LibreOffice for the foreseeable future. That statement follows the release of the latest version of LibreOffice in late August, when the organization reiterated that the software "contains no generative AI features."
LibreOffice described that as a "deliberate design position." The point is not simply to avoid a trend. The organization says the choice helps ensure that users' documents are not uploaded to a server for processing and that no part of the software requires a network connection to function.
That matters because document editors often handle sensitive material. LibreOffice says its software is used by tens of millions of people and organizations, and argues that those users should retain control over their data.
The data-control argument
The central issue is where information goes when software adds AI. AI tools often require user data to be uploaded and processed on a remote server. Once that happens, the user may not control how the data is stored or how long it remains there.
LibreOffice's position is that this risk is not acceptable for the default experience. The organization says any AI integration would need to satisfy requirements that include keeping user data on the device and avoiding reliance on a single AI provider.
For organizations working with confidential, legally privileged or personal data, the nonprofit presents local processing as the clearest assurance. In its words: "Any organisation handling c onfidential, legally privileged or personal data needs to know where that data goes, and the only assurance that survives an audit is that it does not leave the machine,"
The result is a product stance that turns absence into a feature. For users who want a document editor that does not send files elsewhere for AI processing, LibreOffice is positioning its default installation as a cleaner answer.
Extensions remain an option
The decision does not mean LibreOffice users are blocked from experimenting with AI. The organization says users can choose to install software extensions that connect the document editor to local AI models.
That distinction is important. Built-in AI would make the feature part of the standard product. Extensions, by contrast, leave the choice with users who actively want to add those capabilities.
In practical terms, LibreOffice is separating two groups:
- Users who want the default document editor to work without AI, server uploads, or required network access.
- Users who want to connect AI features through optional extensions, including links to local AI models.
This keeps the baseline product aligned with the nonprofit's current requirements while still allowing experimentation outside the default installation.
A contrast with the software trend
LibreOffice's choice runs against a wider pattern among software makers that are adding AI wherever they can. The source article describes a trend in which chatbots and AI assistants are added even when they may hurt the user experience.
That broader frustration has led some developers to create or include features that block or remove AI features altogether. LibreOffice is not presenting its stance as a final judgment on the entire AI sector. Instead, it says the current state of the technology does not meet its criteria for inclusion.
The nonprofit says there is currently "no integration" that satisfies all of its requirements. Those requirements include keeping user data on the user's device and avoiding dependence on a single AI provider, among other considerations.
Its blog post frames the decision as an assessment of today's technology, not a permanent conclusion about AI's value. The organization says extensions will remain available for those who want AI integration, and that it will continue watching where the technology goes.
What users should take from this
For now, the message is straightforward: LibreOffice's default installation will not include AI of any kind. Users who want AI can look to extensions. Users who want a document editor without generative AI features can keep using the core software without those additions.
That makes LibreOffice part of a broader category of open source and alternative software used by people who want options outside the products of Silicon Valley tech giants. In this case, the alternative is not just about licensing or cost. It is also about whether a document editor should work locally, without sending documents away for processing.
In a market where AI is often treated as an automatic upgrade, LibreOffice is making a different claim: for some users, the more valuable feature is knowing that AI is not built in by default.