[Policy Proposal] Exempt "Copilot" and automated tools from CLA signing requirements #8072
Description
Preamble
While I am satisfied with the results of #8014, I believe that the Codecademy docs repository owners and contributors should have also responded to the conversation. I do hope that they respond here.
Description
I am proposing a modification to the CLA Assistant configuration to exempt the "Copilot" user and other GitHub Apps from the requirement to sign the Contributor License Agreement.
The Problem
Currently, when a commit is attributed to GitHub Copilot (or similar AI assistive tools), the CLA Assistant flags the PR as failing checks. It treats "Copilot" as a distinct human contributor that has not yet signed the agreement.
As seen in recent PRs, the check fails with:
1 out of 2 committers have signed the CLA.
[x] Copilot
Example that I just created: #8070 (comment)
Rationale
- Legal Validity: A specific GitHub App or AI tool (like Copilot) is a software utility, not a legal entity capable of entering into a binding contract or holding copyright. The human user utilizing the tool is the one responsible for the contribution and the one who has already signed the CLA.
- Workflow Consistency: We do not require other automated tools (such as Linters, Formatters, or CI/CD bots) to sign a CLA. Copilot should be treated with the same distinction as these utility tools.
Proposed Solution
Please update the CLA Assistant configuration (usually via the .cla-assistant.json file or the CLA Assistant dashboard) to add Copilot (and potentially dependabot or others) to the whitelist/ignore list.
This will prevent friction for contributors who utilize AI-assisted tooling while maintaining the legal integrity of the project for actual human contributors.
Code of Conduct
By submitting this issue, I agree to follow Codecademy Docs' Code of Conduct.
I welcome discussion on this proposal and am happy to provide additional context or address any concerns.
@mamtawardhani @dakshdeepHERE @avdhoottt