Verified facts
- Claude Opus 4.8, Opus 5 and GPT-5.6 Terra are due to retire on November 16, 2026 across the affected Copilot experiences.
- GitHub recommends Opus 5.5 for both Opus versions, and GPT-6.1 Sol or GPT-6 Luna for Terra.
- Opus 4.8 remains available to individual Copilot subscribers on annual plans. Business/Enterprise administrators may need to enable alternatives under their policies.
What changes
A recommended alternative needs evaluation and authorization before the deadline.
Practical implication
Rerun tests and update policies before November 16.
Availability
Belgium/EEA: the source specifies no explicit regional exclusion; availability depends on the account, plan and service region.
Limits and uncertainty
The models are not presented as already retired in W42. The annual-plan exception does not automatically cover every offering.