GitHub has announced a shift to a usage-based billing model for its GitHub Copilot AI service, effective June 1, 2024. This change aims to align pricing with actual usage, as the demand for AI computing resources continues to surge. Currently, subscribers receive a monthly allocation of requests, but GitHub notes that this system is no longer sustainable due to varying backend costs associated with different AI tasks. Under the new model, users will receive 'AI Credits' equivalent to their subscription payment, which can be used for AI interactions. If users exceed their credits, they will be charged based on token consumption, which varies depending on the complexity of the AI model used. For instance, costs for OpenAI's advanced models range from $4.50 to $30 per million tokens. Basic features like code completion will remain free, but more advanced tasks, such as code reviews, will incur additional costs through GitHub Actions minutes.