Usage of Copilot Suggestions by Github

[cyrilpeillon]

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Copilot in GitHub

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The Github Copilot terms is detailing how it's retaining and using Prompts (section 6. Data), but it doesn't include any mention of Suggestions retention and usage.
Am I missing something? How are Suggestions managed on Github side?

I'm reviewing Github Copilot terms, in order to validate my company's subscription to Github Copilot Business.
As such, I cannot authorize its usage as Suggestions might contain intellectual property from my company.

Thank you for your feedback!

[Akash1134]

Thank you for your question about GitHub Copilot and how Suggestions are managed, particularly in the context of Copilot Business and intellectual property concerns.

Here's what we know about how GitHub handles Suggestions:

1. Suggestions vs. Prompts:

   • Prompts are what you input (your code, comments, and queries)
   • Suggestions are what Copilot generates in response

2. For GitHub Copilot Business:

   • GitHub explicitly states in the Product-Specific Terms that it doesn't use your Prompts to train or improve the underlying AI models when you're using Copilot Business
   • While not explicitly stated for Suggestions, the technical architecture of Copilot means Suggestions are generated in real-time based on your Prompts and are not automatically retained by GitHub

3. Intellectual Property Considerations:

   • Suggestions that you accept become part of your codebase and remain your intellectual property
   • Unaccepted Suggestions aren't automatically stored by GitHub as persistent data that would be reused

4. Privacy Controls:

   • GitHub Copilot Business includes additional privacy controls specifically designed for enterprise use, including the option to block suggestions that match public code

If you're concerned about specific intellectual property protection in your company's context, I would recommend:

1. Reviewing the GitHub Copilot Trust Center which provides additional security and privacy information
2. Contacting GitHub Support directly for clarification on the specific handling of Suggestions in Copilot Business
3. Consulting with your legal team to determine if additional data protection agreements might be appropriate

I hope this helps address your concerns. If you need more specific information, please let us know or reach out to GitHub Support directly.