GitHub Copilot Now Auto-Summarizes Unfamiliar Repositories, With AI-Generated READMEs
GitHub has launched a new feature that lets Copilot automatically summarize a repository you’re visiting for the first time. It presents a summary covering the project’s purpose, technologies used, and how to contribute, and it will even auto-generate a README for repositories that don’t have a well-maintained one. It’s available on all Copilot plans.
Details
- Repository overview: AI summarizes key points such as purpose, tech stack, and contribution guidelines
- Automatic README generation: For repositories without proper documentation, Copilot infers the content and generates a README
- Quick access: Shortcuts are provided for common questions like “Give me an overview,” “How do I contribute?,” and “What changed recently?”
- Supported plans: Available on all GitHub Copilot plans, free and paid alike
How to try it
- Open the top page of a repository you’re interested in on github.com
- Click the Copilot icon in the navigation, or type your question directly into Copilot Chat
- Choose from suggestions like “Give me a high-level overview,” or type a free-form request for an overview
Available to everyone starting July 9, 2026, with no additional setup required.