Developer uses AI to build native FreeBSD WiFi driver for old MacBook in two weeks
A developer used AI coding tools to port Broadcom's brcmfmac WiFi driver from Linux to FreeBSD, creating a native kernel module for a 2016 MacBook Pro's BCM4350 chip. The project involved translating Linux-specific glue code to FreeBSD's networking stack, with AI handling the bulk of repetitive adaptation work.
The result was a working WiFi driver that eliminated the need for a Linux VM workaround. The project illustrates how AI coding tools can tackle niche systems programming tasks that few human developers would volunteer for.
View full digest for February 24, 2026