VS Code to Open Source Copilot Chat, Integrates AI Features

VS Code: Open-Source AI Editor. Copilot Chat open-sourced, AI features integrated into core VS Code. Aims for community-driven, transparent, secure AI coding experience.

VS Code to Become an Open Source AI Editor

Hey everyone, exciting news from the VS Code team! They're making VS Code an open-source AI editor. This means big changes are coming to how AI is integrated into the coding experience.

Key Takeaways:

• Open Sourcing Copilot Chat: The code behind the GitHub Copilot Chat extension will be open-sourced under the MIT license.
• Refactoring AI Features: AI features from the Copilot Chat extension will be integrated directly into the VS Code core.
• Why Now? Several factors are driving this change:
  • Improved LLMs: Large language models are better, reducing the need for proprietary prompting.
  • Common UX Patterns: AI interaction UX is becoming standardized, allowing the community to build upon them.
  • Ecosystem Growth: A thriving ecosystem of open-source AI tools and VS Code extensions has emerged.
  • Transparency: Open sourcing increases transparency regarding data collection.
  • Security: Community contributions will help identify and fix security vulnerabilities faster.
• Next Steps: The team will be open-sourcing the Copilot Chat extension code and refactoring AI features into VS Code.
• Community Focus: The goal is to make contributing AI features as easy as contributing to any other part of VS Code, including open-sourcing prompt test infrastructure.
• Iteration Plan and FAQ: Follow the iteration plan for more details and check the FAQ for answers to community questions.

This move aims to foster a collaborative environment for AI development within VS Code, leveraging the power of the open-source community to build a better, more transparent, and more secure AI-powered coding experience