GitHub Copilot Shifts to Token-Based Pricing

Microsoft plans to shift GitHub Copilot's billing system from the existing 'request'-based model to a 'token-based pricing' model based on actual usage. According to internal documents, this decision comes as Copilot's operating costs have nearly doubled week over week compared to earlier this year.

Key changes are as follows:

• Pricing model change: Currently, a set number of requests is provided monthly, but going forward, users will pay based on the amount of tokens they consume.
• Signup suspension: New signups for student and paid individual plans will be temporarily suspended.
• Stricter usage limits: Rate limits will be tightened for both individual and business accounts, and free trials for paid individual plans may also be discontinued to prevent abuse.
• Restricted model access: To cut costs, access to Anthropic's Opus model family will be removed from Copilot Pro, the $10/month plan.

This move aligns with the trend of major AI companies, including Anthropic, adopting token-based pricing for enterprise users, and appears to be a strategy to ease the heavy computing cost burden of operating AI services.