[unethical_ban]

Linux is a well-funded open-source project in use by every major tech organization in the world, as well as the US government. Linux is the last open source project I expect to see die by attrition specifically. IIRC, and as someone mentioned, there are people ready to step up if certain higher-ups retire or perish.

[generalizations]

Not die - rot. All those major tech organizations want their own stuff in the kernel, and I'm skeptical they have the long term viability of linux at heart - rather than, say, the needs of their internal tech, quarterly stock, or even a promotion or two. I've seen examples surface even here on hn of Linus taking down e.g. google engineers for submitting bad code. What happens when Linus isn't there, with the leverage to insist on technical excellence? Linux won't die, but it will ossify and rot.