OpenAI has unveiled Codex, its new AI-powered coding tool designed to assist software engineers by performing tasks like writing and editing code, debugging, and running tests. The tool is built on the company’s o3 AI reasoning model, known for its clean code generation and ability to follow instructions more precisely than previous models. Codex operates in a virtual sandbox environment in the cloud and can access repositories via GitHub, taking anywhere from one to 30 minutes to complete tasks. It can run multiple software engineering tasks simultaneously, making it a useful addition for developers looking to streamline their coding workflows.
Codex is available to ChatGPT’s Pro, Enterprise, and Team subscribers, with a rate limit set to be introduced in the coming weeks. It will be priced at $15 per million tokens for input and $75 for output, with a lower-priced version available for Sonnet 4. OpenAI plans to expand Codex’s availability to ChatGPT Plus and Edu users. The tool is part of a broader trend in AI tools for software engineers, with competitors like Claude Code from Anthropic and Google’s Gemini Code Assist already introducing their agentic coding tools.
The tool is designed to enhance the software development process by integrating seamlessly with IDEs such as VS Code and JetBrains. OpenAI has released Claude Code extensions for GitHub to make collaboration smoother, enabling developers to tag the tool in pull requests, fix errors, and modify code. While AI coding models still face challenges in generating flawless software, their growing adoption reflects the increasing demand for AI to assist developers in speeding up the process.
Internally, OpenAI uses Codex for automating repetitive tasks, scaffolding new features, and drafting documentation. However, safety remains a priority, as the tool is designed to refuse requests for creating malicious software and operates in a closed environment to limit security risks. OpenAI has also introduced an open-source version of Codex, called Codex CLI, which runs in the terminal and uses an o4-mini model optimized for software engineering tasks.
As part of OpenAI’s broader strategy to expand its products beyond ChatGPT, Codex is expected to play a significant role in enhancing the capabilities of the AI platform. With its new suite of AI tools, including video and web browsing agents, OpenAI aims to attract more subscribers, particularly developers looking for more advanced tools to aid their work. This push reflects OpenAI’s ambition to be a leader in AI-driven software engineering solutions.
