This blog post was created with the help of AI tools. Yes, I used a bit of magic from language models to organize my thoughts and automate the boring parts, but the geeky fun and the in C# are 100% mine.

GitHub Copilot just crossed a very interesting line.

It’s no longer “just” helping you write code — it can now run as an agent, with goals, tools, and autonomy, using Microsoft Agent Framework (MAF).

Watch the full video here:

In the video, I walk through three simple C# samples showing how Copilot can be used as an agent, not just a coding assistant.

From autocomplete to autonomy

The mental model shift is simple:

• Copilot as a tool → prompt → suggestion
• Copilot as an agent → goal → plan → act

With Microsoft Agent Framework, GitHub Copilot becomes part of your agent runtime, not just your editor UI.

Sample 1 – Creating a Copilot-backed agent

At its core, you define an agent and tell it what it is allowed to do.

using GitHub.Copilot.SDK;
using Microsoft.Agents.AI;
await using CopilotClient copilotClient = new();
await copilotClient.StartAsync();
AIAgent agent = copilotClient.AsAIAgent(
    instructions: "You are a helpful agent.");

No hacks.
No wrappers.
This agent is powered directly by GitHub Copilot.

Sample 2 – Giving the agent a goal

Instead of prompting, you assign tasks.

await agent.RunAsync("""
Review this C# project and explain what it does.
Focus on architecture and main responsibilities.
""");

This is where Copilot stops responding and starts working.

Sample 3 – Applying it to real dev workflows

In the video, I show how the same agent can be used for things like:

• Understanding unfamiliar repositories
• Explaining legacy code
• Supporting real developer workflows

await agent.RunAsync("""
Analyze this repository and suggest improvements.
Create a summary suitable for a pull request description.
Run the analisys using CODEX and OPUS.
""");

This feels much closer to a junior developer teammate than a chat window.

Why this matters for .NET developers

If you’re building in C# today:

• You already know GitHub Copilot
• You already write .NET services
• You already work with repositories and PRs

Microsoft Agent Framework + Copilot is the shortest path from AI ideas to real systems.

Resources

• GitHub Copilot Agent docs (C#):
  https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/agent-framework/user-guide/agents/agent-types/github-copilot-agent?pivots=programming-language-csharp

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AI

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