The coding assistant just became a model graveyard. github is retiring six copilot models on oct…
the coding assistant just became a model graveyard. github is retiring six copilot models on oct 19, including gpt-5.5 and grok 4.5, and swapping in gpt-5.6 sol and gemini 3.8 flash.
a model's shelf life is now measured in months.
Context
GitHub's changelog of September 18 says six Copilot models are deprecated across all Copilot experiences on October 19. Istar lists them as Gemini 3.7 Flash, GPT-5.5, GPT-5.4, GPT-5.4 mini, GPT-5 mini and Grok 4.5, with replacements Gemini 3.8 Flash, GPT-5.6 Sol, GPT-5.6 Luna and Grok 4.6.
Hugin and HighCircl note that some replacements need administrator approval, and that from October 22 unset features switch on for eligible Business and Enterprise plans.
The date, the count and the named models match. The notice is from September 18 and the retirement is upcoming, not yet done.
The note names GPT-5.6 Sol and Gemini 3.8 Flash as replacements, which matches, and omits Luna and Grok 4.6.
'A model graveyard' and 'shelf life measured in months' are the author's opinion.
Related work
- GitHub changelog: model deprecations ↗The official notice.
- Istar: Copilot drops six models ↗Names the six models and replacements.
- HighCircl: what admins must approve ↗Admin approval for replacements.
Watch next
- Check whether the replacements are enabled by default on your plan before October 19.
Sources
- GitHub Changelog, Sep 18, 2026github.blog
- Istar, Sep 20, 2026istarsoft.com
- HighCircl, Oct 5, 2026highcircl.com
- Hugin, Sep 27, 2026hugin.studio
Provenance
The note above is reproduced unedited from the original post, first published on Threads on 9 October 2026 at 23:33 IST. Sources are the papers and datasets the note draws on.
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