SEATTLE, May 20 (Reuters) - Microsoft ( MSFT ) said it

will add an artificial intelligence coding agent from

Google-backed startup Anthropic to its GitHub service.

Coding agents can carry out software development tasks, such

as fixing bugs, on a human developer's behalf. Microsoft ( MSFT ) on

Monday introduced its own coding agent to GitHub, a

Microsoft ( MSFT )-owned service that many software companies use to

manage their code bases.

Executive Vice President Jay Parikh said at Microsoft's ( MSFT )

annual software developer conference on Tuesday that the company

will also offer Anthropic's coding agent in GitHub.

Microsoft ( MSFT ) said earlier this week that it will also offer a

coding agent from OpenAI, underscoring Microsoft's ( MSFT ) transition to

a more neutral stance in the AI race.