Apple is strengthening its developer tools by introducing deeper artificial intelligence features in Xcode. The release candidate version of Xcode 26.3 has started rolling out to developers, bringing support for agent based coding that allows AI systems to actively assist throughout the app development process.
The new update allows AI agents to access Xcode and perform selected tasks inside the IDE. This marks a step forward from simple code suggestions to broader automation. At present, Xcode 26.3 supports OpenAI Codex and Anthropic Claude Agent, giving developers more flexibility in how they use AI while building apps across Apple platforms. The update is available through the developer portal, with a public stable version expected soon on the Mac App Store.
Apple first introduced AI assistance in Xcode at its developer conference last year. That update allowed developers to use ChatGPT or other models for coding help and debugging. With Xcode 26.3, Apple has added support for Anthropic Model Context Protocol, an open standard that lets platforms connect directly with AI agents. These agents can now work across the full development cycle. They can search documentation, explore file structures, update project settings, capture Xcode Previews to verify work, build on existing codebases and automatically fix bugs.
According to a report, Apple collaborated closely with OpenAI and Anthropic to develop the new features. The company focused on improving token usage and tool calling to make agent driven coding more efficient while keeping developer costs under control. To use these features, developers must download their chosen agent from Xcode settings. They can either sign in with their OpenAI or Anthropic account or connect using API keys. Developers can also select the AI model they want to work with, similar to choosing models directly inside Codex or Claude Agent.
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