Assistance where code is written
GitHub Copilot is an AI assistant focused on code. A developer may see it suggest the next lines of code in an editor or IDE. They can also use Copilot Chat to ask it to explain a file or propose a change. Depending on the setup, Copilot works inside an editor or through GitHub’s development tools.
GitHub is the broader code-hosting and collaboration platform. GitHub Copilot is a particular AI product associated with it. “Copilot” alone could also mean Microsoft Copilot, which is aimed at general work tasks, so the full name matters.
The developer still owns the change
A suggestion may look plausible while missing a requirement or introducing a bug. Developers review proposed code, run appropriate tests, and use normal code review before a change is released.