GitHub release round-up,
August edition

The latest launches from GitHub. See what's new and how to get started.

Here's a roundup of what shipped in the last month, including an update to our legal terms removing blockers for using preview features as well as several updates and improvements to Copilot coding agent.

Our Pre-release License Terms support you better:

Use preview features with confidence, since you gain the same IP protections as when we make them generally available.
Retain ownership of your AI inputs in preview, and have assurance they (and their outputs) won't be used for training purposes.

More models, more options

OpenAI GPT-5 is here: Available for public preview in Chat, Ask, or Agent mode, the model is available in VS Code, on github.com, and on GitHub mobile.
Anthropic Claude Opus 4.1 is in public preview for Copilot Enterprise users: Now available in Copilot Chat, Claude Opus 4.1 succeeds Opus 4 as Anthropic's most capable model to support extended thinking, tool use, and logical summaries.

Copilot coding agent is easier to access and more customizable to meet your needs

Simplified costs: The agent now uses a single Copilot premium request per session, regardless of how complex the task is. Know the cost before starting a request, and complete more tasks within your monthly request limit!
Start from (almost) anywhere: Kick off Copilot coding agent requests from the new Agents page, VS Code, the GitHub MCP server, or any base branch, making it even easier to get Copilot to take on some of the heavy lifting.
MCP: The agent now has the ability to configure and use MCP servers, either built-in or custom. Connect other applications with Copilot, expanding its context and capabilities.
New guardrails: Control the level of access that Copilot has to the internet, and provide tailored guidance for your org with custom instructions.

Powering up IDEs

Agent mode added to multiple IDEs: Designed to autonomously perform complex, multi-step tasks, agent mode has become one of the most used features in VS Code. It is now generally available in JetBrains, Xcode, and Eclipse.
Combining AI and open source: VS Code has open sourced the Copilot Chat extension, allowing bugs to be found and addressed more quickly, and opportunity for community led updates and custom extension solutions.