Microsoft is updating GitHub Copilot’s data usage policies to allow the AI to learn directly from user interactions, marking a shift away from relying primarily on public repositories and internal datasets.

The new policy enables Copilot to collect and use interaction data to improve model performance across real-world coding scenarios.
What data GitHub Copilot may now collect

Microsoft defines interaction data as a broad set of inputs tied to how developers use Copilot, including prompts, generated outputs, and contextual information.

This may include code snippets, comments, documentation, file names, and even repository structure. In addition, Copilot can collect behavioral signals such as how users navigate and interact with suggestions.

The goal is to better understand real usage patterns and refine how Copilot responds to developer needs.
Automatic opt-in raises privacy concerns

The biggest concern is how Microsoft is rolling out this change.

Users on Copilot Free, Pro, and Pro+ plans will be enrolled by default, unless they manually opt out. If no action is taken, automatic opt-in will take effect after April 24.

This default inclusion model could raise privacy concerns, especially among developers working with sensitive code or proprietary projects.
Who is excluded from data collection

Microsoft is drawing a clear line when it comes to enterprise environments.

Copilot Business and Enterprise users are excluded from this data collection policy, along with enterprise-owned repositories. This ensures that corporate environments retain stricter data boundaries.

Additionally, Microsoft states that it will not use data “at rest,” meaning stored repository content is not directly used for training.
Data sharing and safeguards

While Microsoft may share interaction data with GitHub affiliates, it says the data will not be shared with third-party AI model providers.

The company positions this change as essential for improving Copilot’s accuracy, relevance, and usefulness in real-world development workflows.