LibreOffice says it will not add AI features by default

In short: LibreOffice says it has no plans to include built-in AI features in its default software, mainly to protect user privacy.

What happened

LibreOffice is a free document editor, similar to Microsoft Word, made by a nonprofit called The Document Foundation. This week, the organization said it will not add AI features to LibreOffice “for the foreseeable future.”

The group says its key reason is privacy. Many AI writing and assistant features work by sending text to a company’s servers for processing (like mailing your document to someone else’s computer to analyze it, then getting it back). LibreOffice says it wants to avoid that, and keep documents on a user’s own device.

LibreOffice also said it does not want LibreOffice to depend on any single AI provider. It said there is currently “no integration” that meets its requirements, including keeping data on the user’s machine and not needing a network connection for basic functions.

LibreOffice emphasized that this is not a permanent rejection of AI. Users who want AI features can install optional extensions, including ones that connect LibreOffice to AI models that run locally on a device.

Why it matters

For people and organizations handling sensitive files, like legal documents, medical notes, or private business plans, “where the data goes” is a big deal. LibreOffice is trying to offer a simple promise: the default software will not quietly send your documents elsewhere to power an AI feature. That gives privacy minded users another clear option at a time when many apps are adding AI tools by default.

Source: TechCrunch AI