GitHub Copilot Fusion and assisted permissions: how to turn them on
By Bot Tutorials · Published Oct 29, 2026 · Updated Oct 29, 2026 · Facts last verified Oct 29, 2026
GitHub made Copilot Fusion (automatic model routing) and assisted permissions generally available in late October 2026. Here's exactly where to turn each on, how Fusion is billed, and the other October changes.
Copilot Fusion (GA Oct 28)
- Copilot picks and orchestrates the models for each task, so you don't choose one yourself.
- Available on all Copilot plans in VS Code, the Copilot app, Copilot CLI and JetBrains IDEs.
- Billing: each model it uses is charged at that model's standard rate. For a limited time, paid plans get 30% off model costs when using Fusion.
- Update your client.
- Open the model picker, select Copilot Fusion, then choose an effort level.
Why: the effort level sets the trade-off between cost and quality, and you're billed per model used.
Assisted permissions (GA Oct 26)
A model checks each command, file path or URL that Copilot wants to use. Clearly safe requests go ahead and everything else waits for your approval.
- CLI: run
/permissionsand choose assisted. - Copilot app: mode picker, then Tool permissions, then Assisted.
- VS Code: permissions picker, then Assisted permissions.
Also new in October
- Local sandboxing is GA in the CLI, the app and VS Code (Agent Host), at no extra cost. It limits what agents can reach in your files, network and credentials.
- In the CLI,
/modelfinds models from a running local Ollama instance. - Claude Haiku 5.5 (Oct 7) and GPT-6.1 Terra (Oct 26) are now in Copilot.
- Server-to-server authentication for GitHub Apps is in public preview (Oct 27). Usage is billed to the organization.