GitHub makes Copilot Fusion generally available, picking and combining AI models per task
Announced · Published · By Contractor AI Shop
GitHub made Copilot Fusion generally available: users pick an effort level (Standard, High, Max) and it routes or chains models for each coding task. Local-model routing entered experimental preview the same day, but routing decisions still happen in the cloud, so it is not offline.
Key facts
- GitHub says Copilot Fusion routes and orchestrates models using single, cascade and critique workflows, with Standard, High and Max effort levels; it is available on all Copilot plans. GitHub Changelog
- GitHub says Fusion Max scored 60 on the Artificial Analysis Coding Agent Index, within two points of Claude Code with Opus 5.5 Max, at about half the average API cost per task. GitHub Changelog
- In experimental preview, Copilot CLI can route between a local model (MAI Code 1.1 Flash or Qwen3.8 Flash Next) and cloud models; GitHub says routing decisions still happen in the cloud. GitHub Changelog
- The New Stack (Meredith Shubel) reports administrators can limit which models Fusion may choose and set it as the default. The New Stack (Meredith Shubel)
- VentureBeat (Carl Franzen) reports Artificial Analysis measured $5.59 per task for Fusion Max vs. $11.42 for Claude Code with Opus 5.5 Max; the 40% time saving is GitHub-reported only. VentureBeat (Carl Franzen)
Our take: what it means for contractors
Mostly for in-house devs or anyone building small tools with Copilot. The local option lets Copilot CLI use a model on your own machine for some steps, but it still needs the cloud to decide — not an offline setup.
What we don't know yet
- Real cost under GitHub's new AI-credit billing
- Whether Ollama/oMLX-served models qualify (GitHub names only two eligible local models)
- End date of the 30% Fusion discount
Sources
- GitHub Changelog · Route and orchestrate models with GitHub Copilot Fusion · 2026-10-28 · Primary
- GitHub Changelog · GitHub Copilot Fusion now supports selection of local models · 2026-10-28 · Primary
- The New Stack (Meredith Shubel) · GitHub debuts Copilot Fusion, a new model selection & orchestration system that beats Claude Code for half the API cost · 2026-10-28 · Secondary
- VentureBeat (Carl Franzen) · GitHub Copilot Fusion mixes models to achieve near-Opus 5.5 coding performance at half the per-task cost · 2026-10-28 · Secondary