In Xcode 26, Apple shows first signs of offering ChatGPT alternatives

The latest Xcode beta contains clear signs that Apple plans to bring Anthropic's Claude and Opus large language models into the integrated development environment (IDE), expanding on features already available using Apple's own models or OpenAI's ChatGPT.

Apple enthusiast publication 9to5Mac "found multiple references to built-in support for Anthropic accounts," including in the "Intelligence" menu, where users can currently log in to ChatGPT or enter an API key for higher message limits.

Apple introduced a suite of features meant to compete with GitHub Copilot in Xcode at WWDC24, but first focused on its own models and a more limited set of use cases. That expanded quite a bit at this year's developer conference, and users can converse about codebases, discuss changes, or ask for suggestions using ChatGPT. They are initially given a limited set of messages, but this can be greatly increased by logging in to a ChatGPT account or entering an API key.

This summer, Apple said it would be possible to use Anthropic's models with an API key, too, but made no mention of support for Anthropic accounts, which are generally more cost-effective than using the API for most users.