copilot developer-tools code-generation github

Update on "Co-authored-by: Copilot" in commit messages

github.com

May 6, 2026

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Summary

Version 1.110 of Visual Studio Code introduces a setting to include Copilot as a coauthor in commit messages by appending "Co-authored-by: Copilot <copilot@github.com>". The setting git.addAICoAuthor offers three values: off (no attribution), conditional attribution based on Copilot's assistance, and always add attribution.

Key Takeaways

The default setting for AI attribution in commit messages was changed from "off" to "all" in version 1.117, but was reverted back to "off" in version 1.118 due to a bug that incorrectly attributed non-Copilot code to Copilot.
The feature will require user consent before adding a commit trailer, regardless of the default setting value.
Future improvements will consider using "assisted-by" attribution instead of "co-authored-by" for AI agents, allowing for the inclusion of specific model information in commit messages.
Microsoft is reviewing its test and release processes to prevent similar issues with AI attribution in the future.

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Coverage & discussions

Hacker News · github.com

Update on "Co-authored-by: Copilot" in commit messages ↗

Community discussions

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Analysis ready

Community Sentiment

Negative

Positives

The integration of AI tools like Copilot can enhance productivity, but the default attribution raises concerns about credit for developers' work.
Using a standalone git client allows developers to maintain control over their commit messages, avoiding unwanted AI attributions.

Concerns

The decision to automatically include 'Co-authored-by: Copilot' in commit messages has caused frustration, as many developers feel it undermines their contributions.
There is confusion and dissatisfaction regarding the lack of clarity from Microsoft about the reasoning behind this change, leading to distrust among users.
The implementation of this feature seems rushed, as it was described as a bug that should have been caught during testing, raising concerns about quality control.