Buried deep inside everything announced at WWDC this year was something that Apple Shortcuts enthusiasts can't wait to try: the ability to make Apple Shortcuts using generative artificial intelligence, according to a report by Justin Pot in WIRED. In macOS 27, users will be able to just type what they want a shortcut to do, and the app will build it.
Anyone who builds shortcuts regularly knows the process can be tedious, even if the end results save a lot of time. The prospect of describing what you want in plain language and ending up with a working shortcut is exciting. Even if it doesn't work perfectly—AI-built things rarely do, the report notes—it provides a starting point that can be tweaked to meet your needs.
The only downside: This feature doesn't launch until autumn, when version 27 of Apple's operating systems come out.
Early Access via Shortcuts Playground
What if you want to try it now? It turns out Federico Viticci, who founded and runs the blog MacStories, also couldn't wait—so much so that he built his own version. It's called Shortcuts Playground, which runs in either Claude Code or OpenAI's Codex. OpenAI's Codex is free for now; Claude Code requires at least a Pro plan, which starts at $20 per month, according to the report.
To get started, you first need to install the Shortcuts Playground agent; instructions are on GitHub. Basically you will need to copy and paste a command into the Terminal. (The command was not included in the WIRED article in case it changes.)
How It Works
The tool, tested in Claude Code, works the same way in Codex. Once installed, trigger it by typing / followed by "shortcuts." A list of options appears:
shortcuts-playground:build— for creating a new shortcut from scratchshortcuts-playground:remix— for making changes to existing shortcuts
The agent will get to work building a shortcut for you. Sometimes it will stop to ask you for more information, or to explain what is and isn't possible to build in Apple Shortcuts.
Example: Morning Briefing Shortcut
When exploring the tool, the author requested a shortcut that compiled today's weather, calendar appointments, and to-do list for the day, then read the entire thing out loud. The agent went to work. When everything was done, it built a .shortcut file and told the user where to find it. It also offered to tweak things if necessary. Opening the .shortcut file prompts a pop-up to add the shortcut. Once added via the Shortcuts app, the new shortcut appears with comments explaining each step.
| Aspect | Details |
|---|---|
| Tool | Shortcuts Playground |
| Platforms | Claude Code (Pro: $20/mo) or OpenAI's Codex (free) |
| Trigger | /shortcuts in Terminal |
| Build option | shortcuts-playground:build + description |
| Remix option | shortcuts-playground:remix + existing shortcut |
| Output | .shortcut file with comments |
The Morning Briefing shortcut worked well, though the author had to tweak it to show only today's tasks (not tasks with no due dates). Even with that imperfection, a working shortcut was produced a lot faster than building it manually. The shortcut included looping—a way of processing multiple items that is necessary but annoying to set up, the article notes.
Current Limitations
The tool is not perfect. From what the author could tell, it doesn't know about actions offered by apps users have installed—only the actions provided by the OS. That shortcoming aside, it is a very quick way to build a shortcut, or at least get to a starting point.
The author concludes that this will be how they build shortcuts now—at least until Apple launches its official tool in a few months.
Implications for Enterprise Users
For CTOs and technology decision-makers, AI-assisted shortcut creation can reduce the time developers spend on repetitive automation tasks. While the current third-party tool is limited to OS-level actions, the upcoming native macOS 27 feature promises tighter integration with the Apple ecosystem. Enterprises that rely on Apple devices for productivity may find value in prototyping workflows now using Shortcuts Playground, then transitioning to the official tool when it arrives.
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