Apple taps Anthropic’s Claude AI to supercharge Xcode with AI coding assistant

Apple Inc. is deepening its artificial intelligence push by teaming up with startup Anthropic PBC to infuse its Xcode development platform with a powerful new AI assistant. 

The Anthropic’s Claude Sonnet model will create a next-generation “vibe-coding” software platform that uses artificial intelligence to write, edit, and test code on behalf of programmers.

According to people familiar with the matter, the new AI-enhanced version of Xcode is being rolled out internally to Apple engineers.  While the software hasn’t been announced publicly, it represents one of Apple’s most significant forays into using generative AI to streamline software development. The company has not decided whether to release the tool to third-party developers.

Apple shifts to external AI solutions with Claude integration

The Claude Sonnet integration offers Apple a state-of-the-art AI assistant that includes a chat interface for generating code, debugging, testing user interfaces, and managing software fixes. Among the current generation of large language models, Claude is considered one of the most advanced for programming applications.

This partnership mirrors the success of other AI tools in the developer ecosystem, such as Cursor and GitHub Copilot, which offer real-time assistance for code completion and debugging. For Apple, it’s a strategic shift from relying solely on in-house technology toward embracing best-in-class external solutions.

Last year, Apple unveiled its AI-powered tool for Xcode — dubbed Swift Assist — but it was never released. Internal feedback reportedly highlighted shortcomings, including hallucinations and sluggish performance, prompting the company to look beyond its walls for AI support.

Historically cautious in its approach to generative AI, Apple’s pivot is a tacit admission that it must evolve to stay competitive. The partnership with Anthropic is part of a broader AI reorganization within Apple. The company recently redistributed control of Siri and other consumer AI initiatives, moving responsibilities from AI chief John Giannandrea to software engineering leader Craig Federighi.

Federighi’s team now oversees Siri and related AI efforts, signaling a more integrated approach across Apple’s operating systems. The Claude collaboration could serve as a blueprint for future Apple Intelligence upgrades, especially in areas like software engineering, user interface design, and QA automation.

Apple embraces external AI partnerships to accelerate innovation and stay competitive

This isn’t the first time Apple has looked outside for AI prowess. The company recently struck a deal with OpenAI to integrate ChatGPT into Siri and is expected to incorporate Google’s Gemini model later this year. These steps indicate a newfound pragmatism: Apple is willing to mix in third-party AI, which provides clear user or developer benefits.

On Thursday’s second-quarter earnings call, Apple CEO Tim Cook reaffirmed the company’s AI vision.

“We are very excited about the road map, and we are pleased with the progress that we’re making,” Cook said.

He emphasized Apple’s preference for on-device processing while acknowledging the importance of external partnerships. He told analysts that he doesn’t see it as a choice between one approach or the other.

While the Claude-powered Xcode remains an internal tool for now, sources say a broader rollout is possible depending on its success within Apple’s engineering teams. That could mean a future debut for developers during Apple’s Worldwide Developers Conference, which begins June 9.

For Anthropic, the collaboration marks a major milestone. Already a partner to Amazon through its role in the Alexa+ project, a successful alliance with Apple could further cement Claude’s status as a premier AI model for technical use cases.

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