Apple Developing AI Tool to Help Developers Write Code for Apps

Apple is working on an updated version of Xcode that will include an AI tool for generating code, reports Bloomberg. The AI tool will be similar to GitHub Copilot from Microsoft, which can generate code based on natural language requests and convert code from one programming language to another.

apple developer app feature
The Xcode AI tool will be able to predict and finish blocks of code, allowing developers to streamline their app creation process. Apple is now testing the functionality internally and plans to release it to third-party software developers "as early as this year."

Apple is also testing AI-generated code for testing apps, and has asked some engineers to try these features out internally.

The artificial intelligence capabilities added to Xcode will join several other AI features that Apple plans to add to Siri and other built-in apps. Some new features could include the option to generate playlists in Apple Music and create slideshows in Keynote, with Apple also working on improved Spotlight search capabilities. Search could encompass specific features in apps and might also provide responses to complex questions, with the feature built using large language models.

According to Bloomberg, Apple software chief Craig Federighi has asked employees to create as many new AI features as possible for iOS 18, iPadOS 18, and macOS 15. Apple plans to introduce "a slew of new AI features," and ‌iOS 18‌ will be marketed as one of the biggest updates to the iPhone since it launched. Some of the AI features will come to macOS, but Apple plans to "take a gradual approach to AI development" with some features not coming "for years."

Popular Stories

space black mbp

Apple Potentially Facing Worst Leak Since iPhone 4 Was Left in a Bar

Monday October 7, 2024 3:03 pm PDT by
Alleged photos and videos of an unannounced 14-inch MacBook Pro with an M4 chip continue to surface on social media, in what could be the worst product leak for Apple since an employee accidentally left an iPhone 4 prototype at a bar in California in 2010. The latest video of what could be a next-generation MacBook Pro was shared on YouTube Shorts today by Russian channel Romancev768, just...
Alleged M4 MacBook Pro Leak Video

Alleged M4 MacBook Pro Unboxing Video Reveals These Four Upgrades

Sunday October 6, 2024 6:10 pm PDT by
An alleged unboxing video for an unannounced 14-inch MacBook Pro with the M4 chip was uploaded to YouTube today by Russian channel Wylsacom. The video was later linked to on social media platform X by Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. It is possible that this is the same MacBook Pro box shown in photos that were shared by leaker ShrimpApplePro in late September, as he claimed that this MacBook Pro...
watchos 11 vitals

Apple Watch Users Report Vitals App Detecting Illness Before Symptoms Appear

Monday October 7, 2024 5:34 am PDT by
Apple's new Vitals app for watchOS 11 appears to be impressing some users with its ability to detect potential illness days before symptoms manifest, according to recent reports on Reddit. The Apple Watch app, which analyzes key health metrics measured during sleep over the last seven days, appears to be providing early warnings of impending sickness for at least some Apple Watch wearers...
iPad mini review thumb

iPad Mini 7 Coming Next Month: What to Expect

Tuesday October 8, 2024 6:16 am PDT by
Rumors strongly suggest Apple will release the seventh-generation iPad mini in November, nearly three years after the last refresh. Here's a roundup of what we're expecting from the next version of Apple's small form factor tablet, based on the latest rumors and reports. Design and Display The new iPad mini is likely to retain its compact 8.3-inch display and overall design introduced with...
iPhone 17 Slim Feature Single Camera 2

10 Reasons to Wait for Next Year's iPhone 17

Tuesday October 8, 2024 5:45 am PDT by
Apple's iPhone development roadmap runs several years into the future and the company is continually working with suppliers on several successive iPhone models simultaneously, which is why we sometimes get rumored feature leaks so far ahead of launch. The iPhone 17 series is no different – already we have some idea of what to expect from Apple's 2025 smartphone lineup. If you plan to skip...
Generic iOS 18

Everything New in iOS 18.1 Beta 6

Monday October 7, 2024 4:27 pm PDT by
We're nearing the end of the iOS 18.1 beta testing process, but Apple is continuing to make tweaks to refine built-in features ahead of when the software launches. With testing winding down, there are fewer new additions, but Apple has made changes worth noting. The new beta is available for both developers and public beta testers. Control Center In the Control Center, Apple has added new...
M4 Real Feature Red

Gurman: Apple to Launch First M4 Macs and Potentially iPad Mini 7 on November 1

Sunday October 6, 2024 6:40 am PDT by
Apple will announce several new M4 Mac models around the end of October, with the company planning to launch at least some of them as soon as Friday, November 1, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. Writing in his latest Power On newsletter, Gurman said that Apple will launch a new M4 version of its low-end 14-inch MacBook Pro, as well as higher-end 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models...
apple tv 4k yellow bg feature

Waiting for a New Apple TV? Here's What the Latest Rumors Say

Tuesday October 8, 2024 8:57 am PDT by
The current Apple TV was released two years ago this month, so you may be wondering when the next model will be released. Below, we recap rumors about a next-generation Apple TV. In January 2023, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman reported that a new Apple TV was planned for release in the first half of 2024:Beyond the future smart displays and new speaker, Apple is working on revamping its TV box....

Top Rated Comments

icanhazmac Avatar
9 months ago
How long until devs go on strike to keep AI from helping n00bz write code?

n00b: AI, write me code for an iOS freemium game, make it just barely fun unless they pay
AI: Ok, here it is
n00b: Profit



Attachment Image
Score: 16 Votes (Like | Disagree)
turbineseaplane Avatar
9 months ago
We are racing to the bottom as fast as we can
Score: 14 Votes (Like | Disagree)
toobravetosave Avatar
9 months ago

It will all depend on how they’ll implement it. If it’s decent from the start, count me in. I just hope that the features they’ll end up rolling won’t be half-baked or proofs of concepts. They took their time, now they need to show that it was worth it.
they didn’t take their time they were simply late
Score: 12 Votes (Like | Disagree)
klasma Avatar
9 months ago

Craig Federighi has asked employees to create as many new AI features as possible for iOS 18, iPadOS 18, and macOS 15. Apple plans to introduce "a slew of new AI features"
I’m certain this will turn out great. This is a sure way to make the OS more coherent and reduce the number of bugs.
Score: 12 Votes (Like | Disagree)
coffeemilktea Avatar
9 months ago
I wonder how useful this will actually be... from personal experience, I've found AI is good at generating small snippets of code for specific tasks, but I wouldn't rely on it for anything larger or more complex, at least not without a lot of human guidance. ?

But then, asking an AI to do small things sure beats having to look up how to call specific functions and classes on the Apple Developer documentation website. Can't remember how to use NSFileManager with iCloud? The AI will do it for you. :cool:
Score: 10 Votes (Like | Disagree)
klasma Avatar
9 months ago

So if Apple AI writes portions of the code, then those portions are in theory Apple's IP and not that of the developer, correct?
No. AI output is not copyrightable, only human works are.
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)