OpenAI has released a standalone application for its programming assistant, Codex, now available for macOS users.

Introducing the Codex app—a powerful command center for building with agents.

Now available on macOS.https://t.co/HW05s2C9Nr

— OpenAI (@OpenAI) February 2, 2026

The software serves as a "command center" that assists software developers in managing multiple AI agents.

In the past month, over 1 million users have utilized Codex. The product was introduced in April and made publicly available in October.

This new application aims to capture market share from competitors like Anthropic and Cursor, which already offer popular similar solutions.

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman stated that Codex is "the most beloved internal product the company has ever had."

"For us at the company, this is an amazing event. I haven't slept at night from excitement, creating all sorts of things myself," the entrepreneur said.

In the app, agents operate in separate threads organized by projects, allowing users to view changes and complete tasks simultaneously.

Codex includes a library of "skills" such as image generation, designed to assist with tasks that go beyond simple coding.

Other new features include:

  • the ability to set up automation—AI agents will run in the background on a schedule;
  • the option to choose personalities for digital assistants.

Typically, access to Codex is included in paid subscriptions for ChatGPT Plus, Pro, Business, Enterprise, or Edu. However, with this release, the company has made the app available to everyone for a limited time.

As a reminder, in January, a specialized version of the GPT-5 line for programming—GPT-5.2 Codex—became available in Cursor.

In November 2025, Anthropic introduced Claude Opus 4.5—the "best model in the world for programming, agents, and computer use."