OpenAI Codex helps fix a nearly 20 year old Radeon Linux driver bug

A long-lived driver fix

A fix for a bug affecting ATI and AMD Radeon R600 era hardware has been sent out for the Linux kernel, according to Phoronix. The site reports that OpenAI's Codex helped uncover the issue, which has existed for nearly 20 years.

The patch is part of the latest batch of AMD kernel graphics and compute driver changes. These patches are destined for the Linux 7.5 merge window, which Phoronix says opens at the end of the year.

What else is in the patch set

Beyond the R600 fix, the patch series contains many other fixes and continued work on enabling new IP blocks for upcoming GPUs, Phoronix reports. The batch is aimed at the AMD graphics and compute driver code in the kernel.

Details about the exact nature of the R600 bug are limited to what the source summary provides. Readers who want the full picture can consult the original Phoronix report.

Why it matters

The story is notable for two reasons. It shows that very old hardware still receives fixes in the mainline Linux kernel, and it is an early example of an AI coding assistant being credited with helping find a bug in kernel driver code.

Owners of Radeon R600 era cards may benefit once Linux 7.5 ships, though the timing of the release depends on the normal kernel schedule.