AI Agent - Aug 13, 2026

MAI-Code-1-Flash Deprecation: Migrate by September 10

Quick Answer

GitHub will deprecate MAI-Code-1-Flash across all Copilot experiences on September 10, 2026 and recommends MAI-Code-1.1-Flash. Update explicit model choices and organizational guidance before the deadline. Enterprise administrators may need to enable the replacement model policy.

GitHub says no action is required to remove the old model after deprecation. That does not mean no migration work is required: saved workflows, documentation, evaluation baselines, policies, budgets, screenshots, and user training can still reference 1.0.

Migration Inventory

Search for the old product label and any model-selection configuration in:

  • Copilot instructions and team documentation;
  • IDE, CLI, app, agent, and web workflows;
  • organization and enterprise model policies;
  • screenshots, onboarding, runbooks, and support macros;
  • evaluation fixtures and reporting dimensions;
  • budgets, alerts, and premium-request assumptions.

Do not replace an unrelated API identifier based only on a Copilot display name. Confirm the exact integration and supported model contract.

Admin Sequence

  1. Verify MAI-Code-1.1-Flash appears for an individual pilot account.
  2. Enable the specific model policy for a bounded Business or Enterprise pilot; GitHub says it is off by default.
  3. Confirm the model picker in VS Code and GitHub.com, then check every required client separately.
  4. Run representative coding, CLI, .NET, vision, and tool-use tests.
  5. Review data, repository, tool, merge, and deployment permissions.
  6. Compare quality, total latency, reviewer edits, and billing.
  7. Update defaults and documentation with a rollback window before September 10.

Compatibility Test

Use the same repository state and acceptance criteria for 1.0 and 1.1. Include tasks that stress instruction following, tool calls, tests, multi-file edits, error recovery, and—if useful—image input.

Track failures by category. A lower token count is not a successful migration if retries, test failures, security findings, or reviewer work increase.

Use the vision and performance guide for an evidence rubric.

Rollout and Fallback

Because GitHub described a rollout, do not schedule the organization-wide switch until the required accounts and clients can select the model. Keep another approved Copilot model as a fallback for tasks that do not pass the 1.1 acceptance gate; do not depend on the deprecated 1.0 model after September 10.

The Copilot access guide covers plan, picker, and policy checks.

Frequently Asked Questions

When will GitHub deprecate MAI-Code-1-Flash?

GitHub lists September 10, 2026 for deprecation across all Copilot experiences.

What replacement does GitHub recommend?

GitHub recommends MAI-Code-1.1-Flash, subject to rollout, plan, client, and organization policy.

Must administrators remove the old model manually?

No. GitHub says no action is required to remove the old model after deprecation. Administrators should still update policies, defaults, documentation, tests, and budgets.

Why might the replacement be missing?

The rollout may not have reached the account, the client may need an update, or a Business or Enterprise administrator may not have enabled the policy, which is off by default.

Should we switch every workflow without testing?

No. Test representative repositories, tools, languages, image inputs, quality gates, latency, cost, and reviewer effort before changing organizational defaults.

Official Sources

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