So GitHub dropped something new: Copilot can now actually approve pull requests. Not just review them with comments, but genuinely sign off on code and count toward your repository's approval requirements.
At first glance, you might think "wait, should we really let an AI approve PRs?" - and that's a fair instinct. But after digging into how it actually works, I think there's real potential here.
How It Actually Works
Copilot isn't just reviewing your code anymore. Every review now includes an approval assessment - basically Copilot saying "yep, this looks good to merge" or flagging concerns. What's smart is that this isn't automatic. It's opt-in and disabled by default, which means your team has full control.
You can turn it on at three different levels:
