Linux Kernel 7.4-rc2 was released on November 9, 2026, following what Linus Torvalds described as the largest merge window in history, with nearly 20,000 commits. A significant portion of these changes were AI-generated, particularly in core memory management, BPF, and filesystem fixes, leading to a record volume of changes that may result in AI-discovered fixes outpacing new bug reports. The release candidate includes important optimizations, such as a FAT32 speedup and various memory management and BPF improvements, while also serving as a test for the effectiveness of AI contributions in the kernel development process. Expected to finalize by late December 2026, 7.4 is anticipated to be the next long-term support (LTS) release
Linux Kernel 7.4-rc2 Released: Largest Merge Window in History Meets Stabilization Test
Linux Kernel 7.4-rc2 shipped on November 9, 2026, as the second testing candidate following what Torvalds calls the largest merge window in kernel history at nearly 20,000 commits. Most of that record volume came from AMD GPU register dumps and deferred automated coccinelle conversions, so the actual changes are more ordinary than the diffstat suggests. A significant portion of the work is AI-generated, touching core memory management, BPF, and filesystem fixes, with maintainers reporting that AI-discovered fixes are now starting to outpace new bug reports in some areas. The final kernel is expected around late December 2026 and may become the next LTS release.
