GitHub is launching a free version of its Copilot AI developer tool for Microsoft’s Visual Studio Code editor.
Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella announced to his 11 million LinkedIn followers on December 19 that GitHub Copilot Free for VS Code – a competitor product to Agentforce for Developers – has arrived, saying he was “super energized” about the move.
“A Real Game-Changer”
In a video post, Satya said: “Today we are fusing the world’s most popular AI developer tool, GitHub Copilot, with the world’s most popular editor, VS Code. And we are offering a free version to more than 150 million developers who use GitHub.
“We are introducing GitHub Copilot Free in VS Code. It’s a real game-changer. With Copilot Free you can use chat to explain code entirely in natural language.”
Satya added that you can build with multiple models, selecting the one that works best for you, and render edits across files with multi-file edits.
Copilot’s third-party ecosystem of agents are also accessible.
The CEO said: “Of course, you can generate code completions – the core function that started the entire Copilot platform shift.
“Our ambition is to enable one billion developers on GitHub. And this is more possible than ever through the power of AI.
“I have to say, even for myself, the past several years, I have been using GitHub Copilot, my weekends have changed and have been much more fun. The joy of coding is back, and we are looking forward to bringing the same experience to so many more people around the world.”
GitHub also revealed that it has grown its user base to 150 million developers.
Teachers, students, and open source maintainers already had free access, but until now, most developers had to pay a monthly fee starting at $10.
But, according to TechCrunch, there will be limits to the free version, which is intended more for occasional users. For Copilot Chat, for instance, free users will be limited to 50 chat messages.
Thomas Dohmke, CEO of GitHub, echoed Satya’s point, saying their mission was to “enable a billion users to become a developer worldwide”.
He added: “With Copilot Free, we are returning to our freemium roots and are laying the groundwork for something far greater. AI represents our best path to enabling a GitHub with one billion developers.
“There should be no barrier to entry for experiencing the joy of creating software.”
Final Thoughts
With tech giants increasingly vying for supremacy in the AI arms race, it’s no wonder companies are trying to get as many people as possible using their tools – even if it means making them free to use.
GitHub’s ambition of “enabling” one billion developers on their platform is certainly a lofty one, considering that figure equates to one eighth of the Earth’s total population.
In any case, Thomas Dohmke’s vision of there being “no barrier to entry” for creating software appears to have come one step closer to reality.