Grok Code Fast 1 Now Available in Free Auto Model Selection
GitHub CopilotGitHub has added Grok Code Fast 1, xAI's economical agentic coding model, to the pool of models that Copilot's Auto selection can automatically choose for Copilot Free subscribers. The integration makes the model available at no additional cost within GitHub Copilot Chat across VS Code, Visual Studio, JetBrains IDEs, Xcode, and Eclipse. Grok Code Fast 1 is positioned as a fast, lightweight reasoning model particularly strong in TypeScript, Python, Java, Rust, C++, and Go.
Sources & Mentions
5 external resources covering this update
GitHub engineer claims team was 'coerced' to put Grok into Copilot
Hacker News
xAI: Introducing Grok Code Fast 1, now available for free on GitHub Copilot
X (Twitter)
Criticism surrounding the integration of Grok into GitHub Copilot
Techzine
Grok Code Fast 1 is Now Available in Visual Studio Code — And It's Actually Pretty Good
Dev.to
Grok Code Fast 1 Just Landed in VS Code — Here's What Developers Need to Know
Medium
Grok Code Fast 1 Joins Copilot Free's Auto Model Pool
GitHub has expanded the roster of AI models available to Copilot Free subscribers by adding xAI's Grok Code Fast 1 to the Auto model selection feature. When a developer uses Copilot Chat with Auto mode enabled, Copilot may now select Grok Code Fast 1 automatically based on the task at hand — alongside other models already included in the pool. The addition extends the reach of xAI's coding-focused model to one of the largest free tiers in AI-assisted development.
What Is Grok Code Fast 1?
Grok Code Fast 1 is a speedy, economical reasoning model built by xAI specifically for agentic coding tasks. The model is designed to handle common programming tasks with minimal oversight, from building projects from scratch to providing codebase analysis and performing targeted bug fixes. It shows particular strength across a wide range of popular languages, including TypeScript, Python, Java, Rust, C++, and Go.
The model has been available in GitHub Copilot for paid tiers since late 2025, reaching general availability in October 2025. This update extends its presence to the Free tier via Auto — not as a manually selectable model for Free subscribers, but as part of the pool Copilot draws from when Auto is chosen.
Availability
Grok Code Fast 1 is now part of the Auto model selection in GitHub Copilot Chat across the following environments:
- Visual Studio Code
- Visual Studio
- JetBrains IDEs
- Xcode
- Eclipse
No configuration changes are required for Copilot Free users to benefit from the change — it takes effect automatically when using the Auto option. Developers who want to understand the full set of models Copilot can select from can consult the official supported models documentation.
Context and Controversy
The addition of Grok to GitHub Copilot has not been without controversy in the developer community. Reports emerged in early 2026 that at least one GitHub engineer publicly described the integration as being pushed through with inadequate security review and against the objections of an internal engineering team. These concerns were widely discussed on Hacker News and across developer forums, making this particular model expansion one of the more politically charged additions to the Copilot model lineup.