Amazon is developing a new AI coding tool, internally codenamed Kiro, to enhance software development with AI agent technology and a multi-modal interface. According to an internal document obtained by Business Insider, Amazon Web Services (AWS) is building Kiro to tap into AI agents that analyze user prompts and existing data, generating code in near real-time. The web and desktop application can be customized to work with first-party and third-party AI agents, knowledge bases, extensions, and themes to further enhance developer productivity.
Key Features of Kiro
- Multi-modal interface allowing input of text, visual diagrams, and contextual information
- Auto-generation of technical design documents
- Flagging potential issues and offering code optimizations
- Customization with various AI agents and knowledge bases
Amazon’s existing AI coding assistant, Amazon Q, is expected to be complemented by Kiro, which may be a broader application that automates or speeds up many aspects of software development. The company aims to “democratize” software creation, minimizing time-to-code and maximizing productivity. AWS considered launching Kiro in late June, but the timeline remains uncertain.
Industry Context
The development of Kiro comes amid an “explosion of coding agents” in the tech industry. Major firms like Google and Microsoft are also investing heavily in AI coding tools, with Google and Microsoft reporting that around 30% of their code is now written by AI. According to Gartner estimates, by 2028, 9 out of 10 enterprise software engineers will use AI coding assistants, up from less than 14% in early 2024.
Challenges and Opportunities
While Amazon faced early hurdles with its Q coding assistant, the company believes tools like Kiro will simplify common tasks and empower developers to do more with less. As AWS CEO Matt Garman previously stated, new AI tools might change the role of human coders, emphasizing the need for employees to “upskill and learn about new technologies” to boost their productivity.
