New report sheds light on Apple's upcoming AI features that will rival Microsoft's Copilot

• Apple plans to launch an AI tool that writes code as early as this year, Bloomberg reported.
• Sources say the feature will be similar to Microsoft's GitHub Copilot — a new competitor.

Apple is almost done building a generative AI tool for iOS app developers — and the company plans on releasing it to third-party software makers as early as this year, sources familiar with the matter told Bloomberg.

The tech giant is working on a tool that will use artificial intelligence to write code as part of its plans to expand the capabilities of Xcode, the company's main programming software.

The revamped system will compete with Microsoft's GitHub Copilot, which sources say operates similarly.

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Apple is also working on an AI tool that will generate code to test apps, which could provide potential time savings for a process that's known to be tedious.

Currently, Apple is urging some engineers to test these new AI features to ensure they work before releasing them externally to developers.

Apple didn't immediately respond to Business Insider's request for comment before publication.

Apple's covert plans to launch its AI coding tool soon comes as the company lags behind generative AI efforts currently led by players like OpenAI, Google, and Microsoft. They come just weeks after CEO Tim Cook said on the company's most recent earnings call that it will announce its upcoming AI products once they're ready to hit the market.

"We've got some things that we're incredibly excited about that we'll be talking about later this year," Cook said on the call.

The news around Apple's product offerings appears to have come earlier than the company would've liked.

The tech giant, Bloomberg has learned, has plans to integrate AI features into its next software updates for its iPhone and iPad known internally as Crystal. Glow, another internal AI project, is slated to be added to MacOS.

The company is also building features that will generate Apple Music playlists and slideshows, according to the outlet.

An AI-powered search feature titled Spotlight, currently limited to answering questions around launching apps, is in the works as well, Bloomberg reported.