Why not? Linux distributions contain tons of packages that are not the Linux kernel, and just because AI patches have been accepted in one place doesn't mean they'll be accepted elsewhere.

Of course it can. It would mean not including some software or hard-forking it from pre-AI versions which would be difficult. But it can be done and I would seriously consider using such a distro if it was available.

A distro is not responsible for its packages, but it can be responsible over its processes.

Linux itself is in any case tainted, but some of us care to contain the plague however possible.