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What Flathub App Maintainers Should Disclose About AI-Generated Content

Flathub requires maintainers to disclose included AI-generated code, documentation, packaging, or other material and describe its approximate extent. AI-generated or AI-assisted manifest content is prohibited, and disclosure does not guarantee acceptance.
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Flathub submitters must disclose AI-generated code, documentation, packaging, or other material they know or reasonably believe is included in an app or its Flathub packaging. The disclosure should identify the affected parts and their approximate extent. But disclosure does not make AI-generated or AI-assisted content in a Flathub manifest permissible: Flathub prohibits that content outright.

What must be disclosed

Flathub’s Generative AI requirements apply when AI-generated material is included in the application or in its Flathub packaging. The rule covers code, documentation, packaging, and other material. It is not limited to code written by an AI tool or to the person who originally submitted the app. Flathub’s requirements say: “Submitters must disclose any AI-generated code, documentation, packaging, or other material they know or reasonably believe is included in the application or its Flathub packaging.”

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The policy applies when a submitter knows or reasonably believes the material is included. In practice, that means maintainers should not treat uncertainty about a file’s origin as a reason to omit it if they have a reasonable basis to think it contains generated material. Flathub’s maintenance documentation defines maintainers broadly: people responsible for maintaining an application, extension, runtime, or baseapp published on Flathub must follow relevant policies. So the obligation is relevant beyond the person who opened an initial submission; it matters to those responsible for maintaining these published projects as well.

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The key test is whether generated material is actually included in the app or its Flathub packaging. AI use in the abstract is not the disclosure category: the policy distinguishes included material from activities such as research, discussion, or debugging when no generated output is included. Consider the final files and content, not just whether an AI tool was part of the development process.

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Describe the affected material and its extent

A useful disclosure tells reviewers what was generated and where to find it. Identify the affected component or file, say whether it is code, documentation, packaging, or another kind of content, and describe the approximate extent. For example, distinguish a generated paragraph in a help document from a generated source file or a generated packaging script. If only one section of a document is affected, identify that section rather than making reviewers guess whether the entire document was generated.

Flathub requires an approximate extent but does not prescribe a percentage scale, a form, or a particular wording. Do not imply that a particular percentage or format is an official threshold. Be specific enough for reviewers to understand the scope without presenting an invented standard as Flathub’s requirement. A clear description of the part and its approximate scope is more useful than a vague statement that AI was used somewhere in development.

Can you use AI to write a Flatpak manifest?

No. Flathub’s policy says: “Flathub manifests must not contain AI-generated or AI-assisted content.” This is a separate prohibition, not a disclosure requirement. Telling reviewers that AI helped write a manifest does not make the manifest compliant.

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That distinction matters because a manifest is part of the Flathub packaging, but the policy treats manifests more strictly than other generated material. Other AI-generated material may be disclosed and assessed by reviewers; AI-generated or AI-assisted manifest content is prohibited. If AI produced or assisted with manifest content, do not submit it on the assumption that a disclosure will resolve the issue. Disclosure is not a waiver, exception, or substitute for removing prohibited manifest content.

When AI use does not require disclosure

The stated exception is narrow: AI used only for research, discussion, or debugging does not need disclosure when no AI-generated material is included in the application or its Flathub packaging.

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The practical question is not simply whether an AI tool was used. It is whether generated material ended up in the app or its packaging. Asking an AI system to explain an error, discuss implementation options, or help investigate a problem is different from incorporating its generated code, documentation, or packaging content. If generated output is included, the disclosure rule applies; if the use was limited to those activities and nothing generated was included, the policy’s exception applies.

For example, a maintainer who used an AI system to discuss possible causes of a build failure, then independently made changes without including generated material, falls within the described no-disclosure case. By contrast, if generated code or explanatory text is copied into the application or its packaging, it is no longer merely research or discussion with no included output. Keep the distinction tied to what was included, rather than assuming that a particular tool use is automatically exempt.

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How to assess common situations

Situation Policy treatment What to do
AI-generated code included in the application Disclosure required; reviewers assess it at their discretion. Identify the affected component or file, state that the material is code, and describe its approximate extent.
AI-generated documentation included in the application Disclosure required; documentation is explicitly within scope. Identify the document or section and give an approximate account of how much content was generated.
AI-generated packaging material other than manifest content Disclosure required if included in Flathub packaging; reviewer discretion applies. Name the affected packaging component or file, characterize the material, and describe its approximate extent.
AI-generated or AI-assisted content in a Flathub manifest Prohibited, not made acceptable by disclosure. Do not submit the manifest with that content.
AI used only for research, discussion, or debugging, with no generated material included No disclosure is required under the stated exception. Confirm that generated output was not incorporated into the application or its Flathub packaging.

These examples follow the policy’s distinctions: where the material appears, what the AI did, whether generated material was included, and the material’s type and approximate extent. They do not establish a new approval rule or guarantee that any non-manifest example will be accepted. In particular, “packaging” does not mean that generated content in a manifest becomes acceptable; the manifest prohibition still applies.

When reviewing a project, separate these questions: Is the material part of the application or Flathub packaging? What kind of material is it? Is it generated or AI-assisted content in a manifest? Was AI used only for research, discussion, or debugging, without generated material being included? This classification helps avoid treating every AI interaction alike or overlooking a packaging file outside the application itself.

What disclosure does—and does not—mean for review

For generated material outside the manifest prohibition, disclosure lets reviewers evaluate what is included; it does not guarantee acceptance. Flathub says reviewers may reject a submission based on the extent or role of generated material, or because of concerns about review, quality, or maintainability. The decision is discretionary, so a disclosure should be accurate and complete rather than framed as a request for automatic approval.

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The extent and role are relevant considerations, but Flathub does not publish a numeric cutoff or a formula for predicting a decision. The same approximate-extent requirement should therefore be treated as information for reviewers, not as a threshold that determines acceptance. Do not infer that a small amount is guaranteed acceptable or that disclosure alone resolves possible review, quality, or maintainability concerns.

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The submission guide warns that submissions with excessive AI-generated content may be closed without review. That warning reinforces the difference between meeting the disclosure obligation and satisfying reviewers that a submission is suitable. Providing details does not require reviewers to proceed with a review, and the policy does not create a presumption that disclosed material will pass.

Where and how to provide the information

Flathub’s reviewed guidance does not specify a dedicated metadata field, required form, or fixed disclosure location. Its MetaInfo documentation explains that software stores—including Flathub, GNOME Software, KDE Discover, and the Flatpak CLI—consume combined AppStream metadata, but it does not identify an AI-disclosure field there. Do not invent one or assume that adding text to a particular metadata file satisfies the policy.

Provide the information through the active Flathub submission and review process, following the current instructions for that process. The relevant requirements and submission guidance can change, so check Flathub’s live Generative AI policy and submission guide before submitting or updating an app. The submission guide points applicants to the Generative AI policy and notes that submissions with excessive AI-generated content may be closed without review.

Because the reviewed guidance does not prescribe an exact form or location, the safest practical approach is to make the disclosure clear in the current process rather than guessing at a field. State the affected component or file, material type, and approximate extent, and follow whatever active instructions Flathub provides. This is process guidance, not a claim that Flathub has established a template.

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Do not delegate submission or review actions to AI agents

Flathub’s policy also restricts AI tools and agents from carrying out specified submission and review actions. Do not use them to:

  • Open or automate a Flathub submission pull request.
  • Generate the pull request’s commit message or description.
  • Produce review comments or replies.
  • Conduct an AI-agent review at the submitter’s request.

This restriction concerns who or what performs those process actions; it is distinct from the disclosure rule for generated content included in an app or its packaging. A maintainer should handle the specified submission and review communications themselves. Disclosing included AI-generated material does not authorize an AI agent to open the pull request, compose its description, generate review replies, or perform a requested agent review.

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Keep disclosure separate from licensing compliance

Disclosure does not establish that AI-generated material can legally be redistributed or that it is correctly licensed. Flathub separately requires hosted content to permit legal redistribution, requires licenses to be correctly specified in the app’s MetaInfo file, and requires module license files to be installed in the specified location. Those are separate compliance questions; an AI disclosure does not answer them.

For each affected item, consider both questions independently: whether Flathub requires disclosure because generated material is included, and whether the content and its licensing meet Flathub’s redistribution and metadata requirements. Do not treat a positive answer to the first as proof of the second. Similarly, do not treat a license entry as a replacement for disclosure when generated material is included.

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A practical pre-submission checklist

  1. Identify included generated material. Check the application and its Flathub packaging for AI-generated code, documentation, packaging, or other content that you know or reasonably believe is present.
  2. Separate manifest content. Ensure the Flathub manifest contains no AI-generated or AI-assisted content. Disclosure is not an exception to this prohibition.
  3. Classify what remains. For each affected item outside the manifest prohibition, identify its component or file and the type of material.
  4. Describe approximate extent. Explain how much of the identified material is AI-generated in practical terms. Flathub does not prescribe a numerical scale.
  5. Check the no-output case. If AI was used only for research, discussion, or debugging, verify that no generated material was incorporated into the app or packaging before relying on the exception.
  6. Use the active submission process. Follow Flathub’s current instructions for communicating the disclosure; no specific metadata field is established in the reviewed guidance.
  7. Review independently. Verify redistribution and license compliance separately, and handle submission and review actions without AI tools or agents where Flathub prohibits their use.
  8. Set expectations. Remember that reviewers retain discretion over disclosed material and that the submission guide warns excessive AI-generated content may be closed without review.

What maintainers should expect

Flathub’s requirements make disclosure a transparency obligation, not a safe harbor. Maintainers should clearly identify included generated material, keep it out of manifests, and recognize that reviewers retain discretion over other disclosed content. The amount and role of generated material can affect whether a submission proceeds, and the policy supplies no numeric cutoff or promise of acceptance.

The practical standard is straightforward, even though review outcomes are not predetermined: disclose material you know or reasonably believe is included, identify its type and affected parts, and describe its approximate extent. Keep AI-generated and AI-assisted content out of manifests, distinguish included output from research-only use, and follow the current submission process. Then treat licensing, redistribution, and review expectations as separate checks.

Frequently Asked Questions

What AI-generated content do I need to disclose on Flathub?

Disclose AI-generated code, documentation, packaging, or other material you know or reasonably believe is included in the application or its Flathub packaging. Identify the affected part, material type, and approximate extent.

Can I use AI to write a Flatpak manifest?

No. Flathub prohibits AI-generated or AI-assisted content in its manifests. Telling reviewers about that assistance does not make the manifest compliant.

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Does Flathub require a particular disclosure field or percentage?

The reviewed guidance does not specify a required metadata field, form, or percentage scale. It does require an approximate extent. Follow the active submission and review instructions rather than inventing a field or threshold.

Do I need to disclose AI used only to debug or discuss an issue?

Not under the stated exception if AI was used only for research, discussion, or debugging and no generated material was included in the application or its Flathub packaging. If generated output was incorporated, the disclosure rule applies.

Does disclosure guarantee that Flathub will accept my submission?

No. Reviewers retain discretion and may reject based on the extent or role of generated material or concerns about review, quality, or maintainability. The submission guide also warns that submissions with excessive AI-generated content may be closed without review.

Can an AI agent open my Flathub pull request or write review replies?

No. Flathub restricts AI tools and agents from opening or automating a submission pull request, generating its commit message or description, producing review comments or replies, or conducting an AI-agent review at the submitter’s request.

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The Bottom Line

Disclose AI-generated code, documentation, packaging, or other material you know or reasonably believe is included, and identify its type, location, and approximate extent. Keep AI-generated and AI-assisted content out of Flathub manifests: disclosure does not waive that prohibition or guarantee acceptance of other generated material.

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