Agent pull requests are everywhere. Here's how to review them.

Agent-generated code is increasingly prevalent in software development, with tools like GitHub Copilot significantly accelerating code review processes, yet these efficiencies come with potential pitfalls, such as increased redundancy and technical debt. A study from January 2026 highlights that agent-generated code often appears clean but can mask underlying issues that require human judgment to identify, especially since coding agents lack contextual understanding of team-specific practices and constraints. Reviewers are urged to be more intentional and vigilant, focusing on key areas like potential CI weakening, code duplication, and "hallucinated correctness" where code passes tests but is logically incorrect. The document emphasizes the importance of human oversight in maintaining code quality and urges developers to refine agent-generated pull requests before submission, ensuring they carry the necessary context and adhere to security practices. Automated tools can handle mechanical checks, freeing human reviewers to focus on nuanced judgment, yet the ultimate responsibility for ensuring code integrity lies with the human reviewers who possess the contextual knowledge that machines lack.