LibreOffice is turning the absence of built-in artificial intelligence into an explicit product position. The Document Foundation, the nonprofit behind the open-source office suite, says it does not plan to add AI to LibreOffice’s default configuration for the foreseeable future, TechCrunch reported. The organization describes that stance as a response to current privacy and control concerns, not a blanket rejection of AI.

The policy follows the late-August release of the latest LibreOffice version, which the foundation said contains no generative AI features. According to TechCrunch, the software is deliberately designed so documents do not have to be sent to a server for processing and no part of the office suite requires a network connection to work. The foundation says LibreOffice serves tens of millions of users and organizations.

Confidential documents staying on a local computer instead of moving to the cloud.
The Document Foundation says local processing provides stronger control for users handling confidential or personal information.

That local-first design is especially important for organizations handling confidential, personal, or legally protected material. The foundation’s argument is that the strongest auditable assurance comes from keeping data on the user’s own machine. Many AI services, by contrast, process user material on remote infrastructure where customers may have limited visibility into storage practices or retention periods.

LibreOffice is not preventing users from adding AI on their own. People who want those tools can install extensions that connect the office suite with local AI models. The distinction keeps the default installation free of AI while leaving room for users to make an individual choice and keep processing on their own hardware.

Optional local AI module beside an offline office workstation.
Users can add AI through extensions connected to local models, while the standard LibreOffice installation remains AI-free.

The Document Foundation said it has not found an integration that satisfies all of its current requirements. Those conditions include keeping user data on the device and avoiding dependence on a single AI provider. The organization characterized its decision as an assessment of the technology and available integrations today, rather than a final judgment about whether AI could ever have value inside the software.

The position also separates LibreOffice from vendors that have made chatbots, assistants, and generative features standard parts of productivity software. TechCrunch noted that some developers have responded to unwanted AI integrations by building controls that block or remove them. LibreOffice is taking the more fundamental route of leaving such features out of the default installation from the start.

For now, the promise is straightforward: installing LibreOffice does not automatically add an AI service or require documents to leave the computer. Users who want AI can pursue it through extensions, while everyone else retains an offline-capable office suite. The foundation says it will continue watching the technology, meaning its policy could change if an approach eventually meets its requirements for privacy, local control, and provider independence.