The correct option is A pronounced increase in pull requests that remediate bugs.

Pull requests are the primary vehicle for InnerSource collaboration, and a sustained rise in bug fix contributions shows that developers are actively engaging across repositories to improve shared code. This metric reflects code review participation, knowledge sharing, and tangible quality improvements that reduce defect backlog and increase reliability. It measures real collaborative change rather than surface activity, which makes it a strong indicator that the initiative is thriving.

A steady decline in newly opened issues is not a reliable sign of success because fewer issues might mean underreporting, insufficient triage, or shifting work elsewhere. It does not directly measure collaborative contributions or improvements to the codebase.

A surge in Cloud Build pipeline executions across repositories can result from many causes such as added automation, branch churn, or frequent small changes. Pipeline activity does not necessarily reflect InnerSource participation or code quality outcomes, so it is a weak proxy for program health.

Monitoring the weekly commit count for each team focuses on volume rather than impact. Commit counts can be gamed, vary by workflow, and say little about collaboration, review quality, or defect remediation, so they are not a strong indicator of a thriving InnerSource initiative.

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