OpenAI has announced its next advancement in artificial intelligence. The company has launched a research preview of Codex, a new AI-based programming agent integrated into the ChatGPT platform.
Codex is powered by codex-1, a model optimized for software engineering tasks. This model is an enhanced version of OpenAI’s o3 AI model, producing safer, more precise, and cleaner code, while iteratively testing its code until successful results are achieved.
The agent operates in a cloud-based sandboxed virtual computer and, through GitHub integration, can preload users’ code repositories. According to OpenAI, Codex can perform tasks such as writing small features, fixing bugs, answering questions about the codebase, and running tests within 1 to 30 minutes.
Codex can handle multiple programming tasks simultaneously, and users can freely use their computers and browsers while Codex runs.
Currently, Codex is available to ChatGPT Pro, Team, and Enterprise subscribers. OpenAI states that users will initially receive “generous access,” but usage limits will be introduced in the coming weeks. Users wishing to use Codex beyond those limits will have the option to purchase additional credits. The company also plans to roll out Codex to ChatGPT Plus and Edu users soon.
This move comes amid growing interest in AI tools that programmers can use as “virtual teammates.” Josh Tobin, OpenAI’s Research Lead, said Codex aims to automate tasks that currently take human engineers hours or even days to complete, reducing their workload.
OpenAI is already using Codex internally to automate repetitive tasks, scaffold new features, and draft documentation.
Additionally, OpenAI’s Product Lead Alexander Embiricos emphasizes that Codex maintains a high level of safety — it operates without access to the internet or external APIs and reliably refuses requests to create malicious software.
The terminal version of Codex, called Codex CLI, has transitioned to the o4-mini model. This model is now available through OpenAI’s API at a price of $1.50 per 1 million input tokens and $6 per 1 million output tokens.
The launch of Codex is part of OpenAI’s broader strategy to expand ChatGPT beyond a chatbot into a multifunctional product ecosystem. This includes offerings such as Sora (an AI video platform), Deep Research (a research agent), and Operator (a web browsing agent).
With Codex, OpenAI aims to strengthen its position in the rapidly growing AI-driven coding market. The company has also reportedly acquired Windsurf, a developer of another popular AI coding platform, for $3 billion.
