Linux Kernel 7.2 RC6 Arrives as Largest RC6 in Kernel History, AI Patches and Networking Backlog Push Commit Count to Record
Linux Kernel 7.2 RC6 just hit the release queue on August 2, clocking in as the largest RC6 in kernel history thanks to a record commit count driven by AI-generated patches and a post-conference networking backlog. The broader 7.2 merge window brought major performance boosts via MGLRU improvements that pushed MongoDB throughput up by 100 percent, plus long-awaited HDMI 2.1 FRL support for AMDGPU and upstream boot support for Apple M3 SoCs. RC6 specifically landed critical x86 fixes for Zen 5 CPU misidentification, ATA quirks for buggy Western Digital Red Plus drives, and a heavy round of DRM driver cleanups that Torvalds admitted looks "unnerving" despite having no red flags. The stable 7.2 release is expected by mid-August, though patches for 7.3 are already bleeding into mainline with groundwork for Zen 6, RDNA5, and Intel Starfire just waiting in the wings.
Linux Kernel 7.2 RC6 Arrives as Largest RC6 in Kernel History, AI Patches and Networking Backlog Push Commit Count to Record
Linux Kernel 7.2 RC6 was released on August 2, marking it as the largest RC6 in the kernel's history due to a record number of commits, largely attributed to AI-generated patches and a backlog in networking. This version includes significant performance enhancements, such as MGLRU improvements that boost MongoDB throughput by up to 100 percent, along with support for HDMI 2.1 FRL for AMDGPU and boot support for Apple M3 SoCs. Critical fixes were also introduced for x86 misidentification of Zen 5 CPUs and various driver cleanups, although Linus Torvalds expressed concerns about the volume of changes. The stable release of Linux Kernel 7.2 is anticipated by mid-August, with early preparations for version 7.3 already in progress
