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title: Configure cost and quality in Copilot auto model selection
description: GitHub Copilot's auto model selection feature now supports three configurable tiers: efficiency, balance, and intelligence, letting users control how auto...
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# Configure cost and quality in Copilot auto model selection

**[GitHub Changelog](https://daily.dev/sources/github_updates)** · 2 min read · 0 upvotes · 0 comments

## Summary

GitHub Copilot's auto model selection feature now supports three configurable tiers: efficiency, balance, and intelligence, letting users control how auto weighs cost, quality, and response time when picking a model for each prompt. All tiers draw from the same pool of models, and auto evaluates each prompt individually, so even in intelligence mode a trivial task might still use a small, fast model. The feature is rolling out in VS Code, Copilot CLI, and the GitHub Copilot app. Billing is based on whichever model auto actually selects, and paid subscribers still get a 10% discount on auto-billed usage. GitHub frames this as the first step toward giving users more control and visibility into model-selection tradeoffs.

## Full article

daily.dev links to this article rather than hosting it. Read it at the original source: <https://github.blog/changelog/2026-09-14-configure-cost-and-quality-in-copilot-auto-model-selection>

## Questions this post answers

### What are the tiers for GitHub Copilot's auto model selection feature?

GitHub Copilot auto model selection offers three tiers: efficiency, balance, and intelligence. Efficiency prioritizes low cost for fast, straightforward tasks; balance weighs cost, quality, and latency together for everyday work; and intelligence prioritizes quality for complex tasks. All three tiers draw from the same set of available models, with auto evaluating each prompt individually to pick a suited model.

_Developers tuning Copilot cost versus quality tradeoffs can track feature rollouts like this on daily.dev._

### How is usage billed when using GitHub Copilot's auto model selection?

Usage is charged based on whichever model auto actually selects for a given prompt, regardless of which tier (efficiency, balance, or intelligence) is chosen. Paid subscribers continue to receive a 10% discount on usage billed through auto. This means selecting a higher-quality tier does not guarantee higher cost for every individual prompt, since simple tasks may still route to smaller, cheaper models.

_Teams budgeting for AI coding tool usage follow billing changes like Copilot's auto model pricing on daily.dev._

### Which tools support GitHub Copilot's auto model selection tiers?

The efficiency, balance, and intelligence tiers for Copilot auto model selection are currently rolling out in Visual Studio Code, Copilot CLI, and the GitHub Copilot app. This is described as the first step toward giving users more customization and visibility into model-selection tradeoffs in Copilot.

_Developers rolling out Copilot across VS Code and CLI workflows keep tabs on availability updates via daily.dev._

## Similar posts on daily.dev

- [Auto model selection now routes based on your task in VS Code](https://daily.dev/posts/auto-model-selection-now-routes-based-on-your-task-in-vs-code-gzeadlpau) · GitHub Changelog · 0 upvotes · 0 comments
- [GitHub Copilot CLI now supports Copilot auto model selection](https://daily.dev/posts/github-copilot-cli-now-supports-copilot-auto-model-selection-4vwypxkws) · GitHub Changelog · 2 upvotes · 0 comments
- [Auto model selection is generally available in GitHub Copilot in Visual Studio Code](https://daily.dev/posts/auto-model-selection-is-generally-available-in-github-copilot-in-visual-studio-code-cvhnbwf95) · GitHub Changelog · 0 upvotes · 0 comments
- [GitHub Copilot auto mode: should you disable models?](https://daily.dev/posts/github-copilot-auto-mode-should-you-disable-models--8o2kzibto) · The Art of Simplicity · 2 upvotes · 1 comments

---

Tags: [#ai-coding](https://daily.dev/tags/ai-coding), [#ai-gateway](https://daily.dev/tags/ai-gateway), [#github](https://daily.dev/tags/github), [#vscode](https://daily.dev/tags/vscode)

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