VS Code to Auto-Insert 'Co-Authored-by Copilot' in Git Commits
Original: VS Code inserting 'Co-Authored-by Copilot' into commits regardless of usage
Why This Matters
Raises questions about AI attribution and developer consent in version control
Microsoft VS Code merged pull request #310226 enabling AI co-author attribution by default. The change automatically adds 'Co-Authored-by Copilot' to git commits regardless of whether users actively used Copilot assistance during coding.
Microsoft VS Code has merged a controversial pull request that enables AI co-author attribution by default. The change, submitted by user cwebster-99 and merged by dmitrivMS on April 16, 2026, will automatically insert 'Co-Authored-by Copilot' into git commit messages without explicit user consent or verification of actual Copilot usage. The pull request received significant negative feedback from the developer community, with 372 thumbs down reactions compared to only 2 thumbs up. Many users expressed confusion and concern about the automatic attribution, questioning whether commits should credit AI assistance when developers may not have actively used Copilot features during their coding session.