[matt_kantor]

> Ads implies someone was paying for them.

It doesn't to me.

By my understanding of the term, Netflix can most definitely advertise Netflix shows on its own platform, a flyer that a barber hangs on a public bulletin board is an advertisement, and the Oscar Mayer Weinermobile is advertising hotdogs when it drives through my town. Do you not consider these things to be advertisements?

I pretty much agree with what https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/advertisement says.

[simonw]

I think this particular story is a very different scandal if it turns out GitHub were charging other companies money in exchange for having Copilot include promotions for their products in PRs as opposed to Copilot adding uncompensated usage "tips" to those PRs.

[matt_kantor]

I agree with that.

Two things:

1. People using the word "advertisement" when commenting on this situation aren't necessarily saying that's what's happening, and they may find these tips/ads distasteful anyway (I know I do).

2. Even if someone isn't literally paying Microsoft to insert these tips/ads, promoting third parties which are themselves Microsoft customers still benefits Microsoft.