Charting Uncertain Waters: A Socio-Technical Framework for Navigating GenAI's Impact on Open Source Communities

Abstract: Open Source Software communities face a wave of uncertainty as Generative AI rapidly transforms how software is created, maintained, and governed. Without clear frameworks, communities risk being overwhelmed by the complexity and ambiguity introduced by GenAI, threatening the collaborative ethos that underpins OSS. We conduct a scenario-driven, conceptual exploration using a socio-technical framework inspired by McLuhan's Tetrad to surface both risks and opportunities for community resilience amid GenAI-driven disruption of OSS development across four domains: software practices, documentation, community engagement, and governance. By adopting this lens, OSS leaders and researchers can proactively shape the future of their ecosystems, rather than simply reacting to technological upheaval.