A workspace shaped around the task
GitHub’s Copilot app now supports canvases: interfaces built for a workflow rather than a fixed product screen. GitHub lists kanban boards, issue-triage boards, release checklists, dashboards, forms and spreadsheets as examples.
The user starts an agent session, runs `/create-canvas`, and describes three things: the workflow, what they want to change directly, and what the agent should update. The app builds a live surface in its side panel.
The canvas moves both ways
A canvas is shared state. A person can move a card or change a field, and the agent sees the change immediately. The agent can also use the canvas controls to add entries or move work while the user watches.
Once the first version exists, the user can ask for filters, columns or other controls. The canvas can be saved as a personal extension or shared with a team.
A concrete starter prompt
GitHub’s example asks Copilot to create a release-notes canvas that tracks completed features across sessions, with controls to review and organize entries. That is more useful than asking an agent to summarize a chat: the result is a reusable interface with shared controls.
The team’s advice is to start from a current task and specify the information to see, changes to make directly, and work the agent can do.
Why it matters
This pushes the agent beyond a chat transcript and into a small custom tool. The canvas makes the work inspectable and editable while the agent is acting, instead of hiding progress until it returns a final answer.
It is a useful direction for personal AI software: when an existing app’s workflow does not fit, describe the interface you need and let the agent build a first version. It still depends on the Copilot app and its supported extensions; it is not a general website builder.
Source published 2026-09-25. Coverage is based on the maker’s announcement and demonstration.