AI is coming to Ubuntu: Canonical exec teases future AI features and agentic workflow capabilities for version 26.10 — but on a ‘strictly opt-in basis’

A range of new AI features are coming to Ubuntu over the next year, according to maintainers, but only providing they’re of “sufficient maturity and quality”.

In a blog post detailing AI plans for the operating system, Jon Seager, VP of engineering at Ubuntu’s parent company, Canonical, said the firm is exploring the prospect of a dual approach to integration.

This approach centers around improving OS functionality with AI models running “in the background” while the implementation of “AI native” features will also be rolled out - but only to those who opt in.

“Over the past few weeks I’ve begun to develop a framework to help think about different kinds of AI adoption within Ubuntu," Seager wrote. “At the center of that is the idea of explicit and implicit AI features.”

Implicit AI, according to Seager, aims to enhance existing features within the operating system without sweeping changes. One example touted included the launch of speech-to-text and text-to-speech functionalities within the OS.

“I don’t see these as “AI features”, I see them as critical accessibility features that can be dramatically improved through the adoption of LLMs with minimal (if any) drawbacks,” he noted.

Seager added that these features will rely on local inference, using open weight models. Local inference is an area in which Canonical has been expanding capabilities recently, he noted, particularly with regard to “inference snaps”.

Inference snaps provide “simplified local access” to inference using models catered specifically for user hardware.

“The combination of Ubuntu’s widespread adoption and Canonical’s partnership with silicon companies has enabled us to deliver a high performance foundational inference capability for the distribution with very little cognitive overhead for our users,” he wrote.

‘Tasteful’ agentic functionality in Ubuntu

With agentic AI firmly in the spotlight over the last 18 months, Seager noted there are plans afoot on this front. These fall firmly under the “explicit” aspect of the firm’s plans.

Agentic capabilities within the operating system have huge potential, he noted, helping in tasks such as “authoring new documents or applications”, as well as personal automated tasks and troubleshooting support.

“I love the idea that all the power and capability that Linux has acquired over the past few years could become more accessible to more people,” Seager wrote.

In this case, there will be strict guardrails. A strong focus has been placed on privacy and security when considering integration of agentic workflows.

“We’re making plans on how to integrate agentic workflows into Ubuntu for those who want it in a way that feels tasteful, aligned with our user base and respectful of our privacy and security values,” Seager wrote.

“With this comes a big responsibility for us to ensure that the relevant security and confinement controls are in place to prevent unwanted side-effects.”

On the topic of confinement, Seager noted that the aforementioned inference snaps will be subject to the “same confinement rules as other snaps”.

These confinement rules limit the amount of access applications have to system resources. By adopting this approach, Canonical aims to improve user confidence and prevent “indiscriminate access” to machines and data.

A "strictly opt-in” basis

Reaction to Seager’s post appears to have been mostly positive, albeit bordering on apprehensive, with one user describing it as “one of the most sensible posts relating to the use of AI I have read”.

Limited backlash prompted Seager to publish a clarification post confirming details on user controls and consent.

On the prospect of a potential “kill switch” for AI features, Seager noted this won’t be included. However, given AI functionalities will be delivered using snaps, users will have the option of removing these.

“Which I supposed acts as a sort of kill switch for the features we’re planning on shipping,” he wrote.

Moreover, any AI features will be launched in a preview format on a “strictly opt-in basis” upon the launch of version 26.10. Future versions will also have an opt-in function for AI features, he noted.

“In subsequent releases, my plan is to have a step in the initial setup wizard that allows the user to choose whether or not they’d like the AI-native features enabled,” Seager commented.

“Because of the size of most LLMs, we simply couldn’t ship them in the installer anyway, so opting out at first run is simple: they just won’t be there.”

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