OpenAI launches the Codex desktop app to help developers manage multiple AI agents working on software projects.
OpenAI has launched a new Codex desktop app aimed at helping developers manage multiple AI agents working in parallel across long-running software projects.The macOS app acts as a command center where developers can delegate tasks to different agents, supervise progress across projects, and review code changes without losing context.
OpenAI says the tool reflects a shift in how software is built, moving from single-agent assistance to coordinated teams of AI agents handling end-to-end development.Codex was first introduced in April 2025, but OpenAI says agent capabilities have expanded quickly. Models can now handle complex tasks that span hours, days, or even weeks, creating the need for tools designed specifically for oversight, collaboration, and control at scale.OpenAI CEO Sam Altman said the underlying model powering Codex represents a bigger leap than performance benchmarks may suggest. “I love building with this model; it feels like more of a step forward than the benchmarks suggest,” Altman wrote on X.The Codex app allows agents to run in separate threads organized by project. Developers can inspect diffs, comment directly on changes, or open work in their editor for manual edits. Built-in worktree support lets multiple agents work on the same repository simultaneously, each operating on an isolated copy of the code to avoid conflicts.From coding to controlCodex is also expanding beyond code generation through customizable skills. These allow agents to connect to external tools, follow predefined workflows, and complete tasks that involve research, writing, deployment, or image generation.GPT-5.3-Codex is here!*Best coding performance .*Mid-task steerability and live updates during tasks.*Faster! Less than half the tokens of 5.2-Codex for same tasks, and >25% faster per token!*Good computer use.— Sam Altman February 5, 2026Using skills, Codex can pull design assets from Figma, manage bug tracking and releases in Linear, deploy applications to cloud platforms such as Vercel and Cloudflare, and generate images using OpenAI’s image model.Developers can explicitly instruct Codex to use a skill or allow it to decide automatically based on the task.OpenAI demonstrated Codex’s autonomy by having it build a full 3D voxel racing game from a single prompt. The agent handled design, development, testing, and iteration by repeatedly playing the game itself to identify missing features and bugs.Altman said internal use of Codex has already accelerated development at OpenAI.“It was amazing to watch how much faster we were able to ship 5.3-Codex by using 5.3-Codex, and for sure this is a sign of things to come,” he wrote.The app also introduces Automations, which allow Codex to run scheduled background tasks such as issue triage, bug detection, and release summaries. Completed tasks are sent to a review queue so developers can step in only when needed.Security and scale focusSecurity is built into the Codex stack by default. Agents are sandboxed and limited to specific folders or branches, with permission required for elevated actions such as network access. OpenAI says this is its first model to score highly on internal cybersecurity readiness.“This is our first model that hits ‘high’ for cybersecurity on our preparedness framework,” Altman wrote, adding that OpenAI is piloting a Trusted Access framework and committing $10 million in API credits to support cyber defense efforts.The Codex app is available now on macOS for ChatGPT Plus, Pro, Business, Enterprise, and Edu users, with temporary access also extended to Free and Go users. OpenAI says Codex usage has doubled since mid-December, with more than a million developers using it in the past month.
Automation Codex App Coding Tools Enterprise AI Multi-Agent Systems Openai Software Development
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