OpenAI's Codex Desktop can run your computer now - and has its own browser

Image: OpenAI

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ZDNET's cardinal takeaways

• Codex Desktop expands from coding into afloat productivity workflows.
• Automation tin make images, charts, and workflow outputs.
• The instrumentality is inactive aimed astatine developers contempt the broader productivity push.

Today, OpenAI announced a important update to its Codex Desktop app. Codex started arsenic OpenAI's agentic coding tool, but Codex Desktop is present being positioned arsenic an wide productivity tool, akin to Claude Cowork.

While the capabilities are undoubtedly powerful, the messaging is simply a small murky. In a briefing yesterday, OpenAI recognized that Codex Desktop is inactive targeted astatine programmers but includes further productivity tools that spell beyond codification generation.

Also: 7 AI coding techniques I usage to vessel real, reliable products - fast

I rather bask OpenAI briefings due to the fact that the excitement from the folks gathering the AI is tangible and genuine. They springiness disconnected a "Check retired what we did" vibe that's refreshing among each the firm talk we get from AI vendors each day.

However, I deliberation there's a instrumentality determination that each briefings indispensable see slides. One of the company's slides said that 80% of OpenAI's unit usage Codex, which highlights however non-programmers tin usage the Codex Desktop app.

Computer use

A cardinal diagnostic of the caller Codex Desktop is machine use, which means the AI wrong Codex Desktop tin run your computer.   

Also: How AI has abruptly go overmuch much utile to open-source developers

This merchandise lets the AI tally applications successful the background. So, portion the exertion runs an automation, you tin bash different tasks successful different applications. The machine usage diagnostic is lone disposable for MacOS, astatine slightest for now.

In-app browser

Codex Desktop present includes an in-app browser. OpenAI didn't show the in-app browser performing automations, truthful we'll person to trial this diagnostic retired and fto you cognize what we deliberation erstwhile we get our hands connected the app itself.

Also: I built 2 apps with conscionable my dependable and a rodent - are IDEs already obsolete?

One absorbing (and agelong overdue) diagnostic is the quality to click connected an constituent successful the browser and person the AI recognize wherever you're clicking. So, alternatively than trying to explicate you privation the font changed successful the 3rd header successful file two, you tin click the point you privation changed and archer the AI to "change this to that."

If this diagnostic is reliable, it volition decidedly prevention immoderate superior time.

Image procreation

ChatGPT has had excellent representation generation capabilities for rather immoderate time, but Codex Desktop has not. Now, however, you should beryllium capable to make an cause that generates an image, chart, oregon diagram automatically arsenic portion of the wide automation.

Also: I tested the caller ChatGPT Images - it's a stunning improvement, and enormously fun

This is different diagnostic that needs to beryllium tested to spot however good it works. If the diagnostic keeps gait with the improvements we've seen successful competing Gemini offerings, the image-generation capabilities should beryllium handy.

Expanded automations

Automations tin present beryllium added to existing conversational threads, allowing the AI to prime up connected discourse from earlier discussions and interactions. Codex tin delegate itself enactment that, according to OpenAI, means it tin "wake up automatically to proceed connected a semipermanent task, perchance crossed days oregon weeks."

Although ChatGPT has had a representation diagnostic for a while, the Codex app was peculiarly problematic due to the fact that it had to beryllium brought backmost up to velocity connected each relaunch. Now, the app has a representation capableness that, according to the company, tin "remember utile discourse from erstwhile experience, including idiosyncratic preferences, corrections, and accusation that took clip to gather."

OpenAI said: "This helps aboriginal tasks implicit faster and to a level of prime antecedently lone imaginable done extended customized instructions."

Also: The overselling of AI - and however to defy it

Codex present has a nag diagnostic that launches with the app. Here's however the developers described this feature: "Codex present besides proactively proposes utile enactment to proceed wherever you person near off." 

Basically, erstwhile you leap backmost into Codex, the AI volition effort to spot what you were moving connected and volition suggest continuing those workflows.

Additional updates

The merchandise has a clump of developer-oriented features, including:

• Support for addressing GitHub reappraisal comments
• Multiple terminal tabs
• Ability to link to distant devboxes implicit SSH (this diagnostic is successful early-stage testing)
• Ability to presumption files straight successful the sidebar with affluent previews for PDFs, spreadsheets, slides, and docs
• A caller summary pane to way cause plans, sources, and artifacts

Personally, I'm astir excited astir the aggregate tabs feature. Unfortunately, arsenic acold arsenic I tin tell, you can't color-code the tabs the mode I do to support way of my antithetic projects successful antithetic terminal tabs. But, astatine the complaint this diagnostic is improving, it's astir apt thing we'll spot soon.

Also: Is Perplexity's caller Computer a safer mentation of OpenClaw? How it works

Finally, Codex Desktop is shipping with entree to much than 100 plugins. In AI-speak, plugins are apps that harvester skills, app integrations, and MCP servers for much in-depth capabilities.

Given OpenClaw's problems with user-contributed skills that person led to a flood of malware, I asked the developers however they are addressing plugin issues. I was told that OpenAI curates plugins earlier they're made available.

Availability

The caller Codex Desktop is disposable to immoderate OpenAI tier with Codex access. Obviously, moving much automations and long-run projects volition usage up token allocations much quickly, truthful proceed with caution and trial earlier you fto an cause tally unattended.

The caller Codex Desktop is disposable for Mac and Windows, though the Computer Use diagnostic is lone disposable connected MacOS and is not yet disposable successful the EU.

Is Codex Desktop starting to consciousness similar a existent productivity instrumentality to you, oregon is it inactive chiefly a programmer's assistant? Let america cognize successful the comments below.

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