Apple is working on an AI-driven extension of its programming software Xcode, in collaboration with the American AI company Anthropic. The tool uses AI to generate, edit, and test code. The software is currently only available to internal Apple teams. No decision has been made yet about a public launch.
According to Bloomberg, the new AI tool is a customized version of Xcode, where Apple integrates Anthropic’s Claude Sonnet model. Claude is known as one of the better-performing AI models for programming tasks. Developers can ask questions or request code fragment modifications through a built-in chat interface.
The assistant can also help find and fix bugs, and test user interfaces. The latter is traditionally a time-consuming task that is now partially automated.
Apple previously experimented with its own AI features in Xcode, such as Swift Assist. This tool was announced last year but was never released. Internal feedback indicated inaccurate output and a negative impact on development speed.
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The collaboration with Anthropic suggests that Apple recognizes that external models currently perform better than what it can deliver internally. Both systems – Swift Assist and the Claude integration – could potentially function alongside each other in the future.
AI becomes strategic focus at Apple
The new AI features in Xcode are part of a broader AI strategy. Apple is trying to catch up on the lag it experienced since the breakthrough of generative AI more than two years ago. Apple’s existing AI tools, including Siri, have been criticized in recent years for limited functionality. A planned Siri upgrade was postponed, and the AI approach was partially revised internally, according to Bloomberg.
Top executive Craig Federighi now plays a larger role in AI operations. His software team recently also took charge of Siri. AI research remains under the leadership of John Giannandrea, but Apple has shifted the focus of his team towards fundamental research.
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For Anthropic, the collaboration with Apple is a valuable expansion of its portfolio. It previously closed deals with companies including Amazon for Alexa. Meanwhile, Apple is also collaborating with OpenAI on ChatGPT and reportedly wants to integrate Google’s Gemini later this year.
More information about Apple’s future plans is expected at the annual developers conference WWDC, which starts on June 9.