Hey there! If you’re a developer using GitHub Copilot, you might want to pay attention to some upcoming changes. GitHub Copilot, the AI-powered coding assistant from Microsoft-owned GitHub, is rolling out a new pricing structure starting May 5. These changes could impact how you access advanced AI models, especially if you rely on them for tasks like complex multi-file edits or what they call ‘agentic’ coding.
So, what’s changing? GitHub is introducing something called “premium requests.” These are essentially credits that limit the number of actions you can take when using AI models beyond the base version. If you’re subscribed to the Copilot Pro plan, which costs $20 a month, you’ll get 300 of these premium requests each month. For those on the Copilot Business and Copilot Enterprise plans, you’ll receive 300 and 1,000 premium requests, respectively. These changes will roll out between May 12 and May 19.
If you find yourself needing more than the allotted premium requests, don’t worry—you have options. You can purchase additional premium requests for $0.04 each. Alternatively, you might consider upgrading to the new Copilot Pro+ plan. This plan, starting at $39 per month, gives you 1,500 premium requests and access to the most advanced models, like OpenAI’s GPT-4.5.
Why the changes, you ask? Well, it all boils down to the increased computational demands of running these sophisticated AI models. As AI systems become more advanced, like Anthropic’s 3.7 Sonnet, they require more resources to operate efficiently. These models are designed to enhance reliability with extensive fact-checking capabilities, which is great for quality but can be costly.
Even with these price adjustments, GitHub Copilot remains a significant revenue driver for Microsoft. In fact, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella mentioned that as of August last year, Copilot was responsible for over 40% of GitHub’s revenue growth in 2024. This underscores its importance within Microsoft’s portfolio since they acquired GitHub seven years ago.
