Amazon's New AI Tool 'Kiro' Set to Transform Developer Workflows

Amazon is reportedly making significant strides in AI-powered software development. As per an internal document obtained by Business Insider, the company's cloud division — Amazon Web Services (AWS) — is working on a new tool called Kiro, which is being built to generate code in near real-time using AI agents.

Kiro: Amazon’s Leap Beyond ‘Amazon Q’

The new tool is designed as both a web and desktop application and will support integration with Amazon’s internal AI systems and third-party AI agents. Unlike Amazon’s current AI tool, Amazon Q, Kiro aims to be more versatile, supporting knowledge bases, extensions, and developer themes, indicating a vision for an all-in-one coding assistant.

What differentiates Kiro is its multi-modal interface, which enables developers to input text, diagrams, and various contextual elements to generate more precise results. The internal memo highlights Kiro’s abilities to handle a wide spectrum of tasks — from coding and writing technical documents to bug detection and suggesting improvements.

“With Kiro, developers read less but understand more, code less but create more.”

Though AWS Amazon Web Services (AWS) hasn’t provided an official launch date, earlier discussions suggested a possible rollout in late June. However, the current status of that timeline remains uncertain. AWS has declined to comment directly on Kiro but confirmed its ongoing AI work:

“AI agents are rapidly transforming the development experience, and we’re just getting started,” an AWS spokesperson told Business Insider.

Is Kiro a Threat to Developer Jobs?

The tool is described internally as being far more than just “code-centric” — unlike existing solutions. Amazon seems to be “reimagining” the way software is built, intending to boost productivity while maintaining high-quality outputs. This suggests that Kiro is aimed at assisting, not replacing, developers.

Still, concerns remain. While Amazon’s stated goal is to support developers, experts believe that mid-level programming roles may see disruption, a sentiment echoed by Meta in its past statements.

AI in the Developer Ecosystem: A Broader Trend

Amazon CEO Andy Jassy recently noted a growing interest in AI coding agents during an earnings call. Tools like Cursor and Vercel are gaining traction among developers, and AWS clients are increasingly using these agents to accelerate development cycles.

AI Coding Boom Across Industry

• Google and Microsoft have revealed that nearly one-third of their code is now AI-generated.

• AI startups like Anysphere, makers of Cursor, are raising substantial capital.

• OpenAI has acquired coding startup Windsurf in a multi-billion-dollar deal.

According to Gartner, AI coding assistants will be used by 90% of enterprise developers by 2028, a sharp rise from under 14% in 2023.

Human Coders in an AI-Powered World

AWS executive Matt Garman has previously predicted a world where “fewer people will write code directly”, as AI increasingly takes over coding responsibilities. He also emphasized the need to upskill the existing workforce to adapt to this transition.

Amazon’s earlier AI assistant Amazon Q initially struggled with performance and cost issues. However, the tool is now seeing better adoption, with companies like Deloitte and ADP reporting increased productivity after its use.

Kiro could potentially simplify complex tasks like setting up payment systems or building app features — making software creation more intuitive and accessible.