OpenAI Launches Codex, a New AI Coding Assistant for Developers

BERKELEY, California — OpenAI announced on May 16 its latest product, Codex, a powerful AI coding agent designed to assist software developers with a range of programming tasks. This new tool is currently available in a research preview for ChatGPT Pro, Enterprise, and Team users.

Codex is built on a refined version of OpenAI’s o3 reasoning model and is specifically optimized for software engineering tasks. It can work on multiple tasks simultaneously, allowing developers to delegate programming responsibilities such as writing code, fixing bugs, or answering questions about their codebase.

Users can access Codex through the ChatGPT interface, where they can assign new coding tasks by typing prompts and selecting either ‘Code’ or ‘Ask’ for assistance. Each task runs in a separate cloud environment that replicates the user’s development setup, ensuring that Codex can operate effectively within their personalized codebase.

OpenAI emphasizes that while Codex can generate production-ready code, users should still manually review and validate the code before integration into their projects. This is due to concerns that AI tools may produce code that is difficult to debug, lacks standards, or may even have security flaws.

As developers begin to utilize Codex, they can expect fast task completion, typically ranging from one to thirty minutes depending on the complexity. The tool also provides transparency by allowing developers to monitor progress in real-time and offering detailed evidence of its actions, including citations from terminal logs.

OpenAI’s CEO, Sam Altman, believes Codex represents a shift in how developers interact with coding assistants, transitioning from simple autocomplete tools to collaborative partners that can take on more complex programming tasks independently. Early adopters have reported a range of practical applications, highlighting Codex’s transformative potential in software development.

Looking ahead, OpenAI plans to implement rate limits and a new pricing scheme for Codex, although they have promised users generous access at no additional cost during the initial rollout. The company also aims to expand availability to ChatGPT Plus and Edu users in the future, as they seek to refine and enhance the capabilities of Codex.