Full AI workspace that controls your Mac, browses the web natively, and handles repeatable tasks in the background.
OpenAI Codex began as a coding model. The April 2026 update transformed the desktop app into a full AI workspace that can see, click, and type across any application on the Mac, browse the web natively, generate images, and remember user preferences between sessions.
The product is closer to a horizontal assistant than a coding tool now. It handles repeatable tasks in the background and takes both voice and text input, operating whatever application surface the user has open.
Codex pairs the OpenAI model stack with on-device control of the user's machine, which makes it useful for desktop workflows that cross several apps in a single task. The desktop variant runs alongside the existing ChatGPT desktop app rather than replacing it.