Canonical plans to introduce AI features to Ubuntu throughout the next year, with users able to remove them via Snaps or opt out during setup.

Canonical's VP of engineering Jon Seager announced that AI features including accessibility tools (speech-to-text, text-to-speech) and agentic AI for troubleshooting and automation will be rolled out. AI-backed features will debut as opt-in previews in Ubuntu version 26.10, with subsequent releases offering a setup wizard choice to enable or disable AI-native features.

All AI capabilities will be delivered as Snaps (modular software packages layered on top of the existing Ubuntu stack), meaning users can remove them or skip installation entirely—addressing requests from users concerned about mandatory AI inclusion.

Some users expressed interest in switching to Ubuntu-based alternatives like Linux Mint, Pop!_OS, or Zorin OS. Zorin OS's CEO stated the distribution is 'AI agnostic' and will review Canonical's AI implementations before deciding whether to include them by default, emphasizing requirements for security, privacy, and performance.