Sat May 17 06:50:00 UTC 2025: ## OpenAI Unveils “Codex,” a Cloud-Based AI Engineer for ChatGPT

**San Francisco, CA** – OpenAI has launched a groundbreaking cloud-based software engineering agent within ChatGPT, dubbed “Codex,” promising to revolutionize the way developers work. The new tool is designed to handle a multitude of coding tasks simultaneously, from writing new features and fixing bugs to answering intricate questions about a user’s codebase.

Powered by a specialized version of OpenAI’s latest reasoning model, o3, optimized for software engineering, Codex is trained using reinforcement learning on real-world coding scenarios. This ensures the AI generates code that closely mimics human coding style, adheres precisely to instructions, and iteratively tests until a successful outcome is achieved. Each task is executed within its own secure, private coding environment, or “sandbox,” further enhancing security and control.

“It is amazing and exciting how much software one person is going to be able to create with tools like this,” OpenAI CEO Sam Altman exclaimed in a post on X (formerly Twitter) announcing the release.

Codex allows users to assign tasks through simple text prompts within ChatGPT, accessible via a “Code” button in the sidebar. Questions about the codebase can be posed using the “Ask” button. According to OpenAI, Codex can “read and edit files, as well as run commands including test harnesses, linters, and type checkers.”

The company highlights that each task completion can take anywhere from 1 to 30 minutes, depending on complexity. Users can monitor Codex’s progress in real-time. Upon completion, Codex provides verifiable evidence of its actions, including terminal logs and test outputs, ensuring transparency and allowing users to trace each step taken, preventing potential “hallucinations” or fabricated results.

OpenAI is rolling out Codex to ChatGPT Pro, Enterprise, and Team users immediately. Support for Plus and Edu users is slated to be added in the coming weeks. The launch of Codex marks a significant step forward in AI-assisted software development, potentially empowering developers to achieve more in less time.

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