AWS launches Kiro to transform chaotic AI coding into structured workflow

Amazon Web Services has launched Kiro, a new AI coding tool designed to formalize “vibe coding”—the informal process of generating custom code through AI chatbot interactions. The tool aims to address the unstructured nature of current AI coding practices, which a recent study found actually increased task completion time for experienced software engineers by 19%.

What you should know: Kiro transforms the chaotic process of AI-assisted coding into a structured workflow with built-in project planning and quality controls.

• Developers start by entering specifications for each project component, then use AI to generate code that meets those requirements.
• The tool creates technical design documents based on your codebase and provides an AI agent that acts like an “experienced developer” to catch mistakes and complete routine tasks.
• Quality checks are performed automatically once development work is finished.

How it works: The platform is powered by Anthropic’s code-focused Claude Sonnet 4, with Claude Sonnet 3.7 as a backup option.

• Support for additional AI models is planned for future releases.
• Unlike typical vibe coding, Kiro documents decisions and assumptions made during development.
• The AI agent works alongside developers throughout the coding process, providing real-time assistance and error detection.

What they’re saying: AWS executives acknowledge the current limitations of informal AI coding approaches.

• “I’m sure you’ve been there: prompt, prompt, prompt, and you have a working application,” wrote Nikhil Swaminathan, AWS’s head of agentic AI developer tools, and Deepak Singh, a VP at AWS. “It’s fun and feels like magic. But getting it to production requires more. What assumptions did the model make when building it? You guided the agent throughout, but those decisions aren’t documented.”

Pricing and availability: Kiro is currently free during its preview period, with three pricing tiers planned for launch.

• Free tier will remain available permanently.
• Kiro Pro will cost $19 per month.
• Kiro Pro+ will be priced at $39 per month.
• The tool will also be free for users with Amazon Q Developer Pro accounts ($20 per month).

Competitive landscape: Kiro enters a crowded market of AI coding assistants dominated by both startups and Big Tech companies.

• Direct competitors include coding editors like Cursor and Windsurf.
• Google recently hired Windsurf’s CEO for $2.4 billion after OpenAI’s acquisition talks fell through.
• Microsoft’s GitHub agent mode and Google’s Gemini Code Assist represent major competition from rival tech giants.

The big picture: Amazon is positioning Kiro as a standalone product rather than a typical AWS service, with only a small AWS logo appearing on its website.

• The company has been developing Kiro since at least May 2024.
• Amazon appears to still be deciding whether to market Kiro as part of AWS or as an independent tool.
• The launch reflects growing demand for more structured approaches to AI-assisted software development.