In an effort not to be left behind and close the gap between it and other developer resource providers, Apple is reportedly on the verge of releasing a major update to its Xcode developer environment.
The overhaul will include a handy injection of artificial intelligence, a new report by Bloomberg has claimed.
The news comes several months after developers started to see AI become useful in other applications, such as the Microsoft-owned GitHub, which has its own Copilot-branded features.
Apple’s Xcode set for AI boost
The project is rumored to have been in the works since last year, and reports are now indicating that internal testing looks to be expanding.
The Cupertino company’s CEO, Tim Cook, has already alluded to several new generative AI features set to be revealed later this year. Suspicions are that these announcements may be made at its annual developer conference, WWDC 2024, but most speculations point toward an upgraded Siri.
The updated, AI-powered Xcode is slated for release early this year, potentially before the big conference, marking a significant step for Apple as it catches up with rival tech companies.
Beyond code generation, Apple could also be planning to use artificial intelligence to aid in app testing, which is typically a time-consuming process.
While recent months have seen the emergence of plenty of AI tools designed to boost worker productivity, we have been seeing more consumer-focused solutions in recent months, such as the release of the Samsung Galaxy S24.
As well as a much-needed boost for its voice assistant, Apple could have other implementations for AI, such as playlist creation in Apple Music, improved Spotlight search, and changes to the Photos app.
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