Chatgpt's Codex Just Got A Huge Upgrade That Makes It More Powerful Than Ever - What's New

Elyse Betters Picaro / ZDNET

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ZDNET's cardinal takeaways

• OpenAI makes Codex disposable to each developers and teams.
• Slack integration and SDK bring AI into coding workflows.
• Admin devices adhd visibility, control, safer automation for enterprises.

OpenAI announced yesterday that Codex, its programming agent, is now "generally available." I'll deconstruct nan trading speak of "generally available" successful a minute, because it's a spot of a story. But earlier that, let's talk immoderate caller capabilities OpenAI introduced successful Codex. They're cool.

(Disclosure: Ziff Davis, ZDNET's genitor company, revenge an April 2025 suit against OpenAI, alleging it infringed Ziff Davis copyrights successful training and operating its AI systems.)

Slack integration

I person often said that coding pinch nan thief of a chatbot feels a batch for illustration talking to a workfellow successful Slack. There are a number of colleagues I've worked pinch for years. But not only haven't we ever met, we've besides ne'er spoken utilizing immoderate mean different than Slack.

Also: Everything OpenAI announced astatine DevDay 2025: Agent Kit, Apps SDK, ChatGPT, and more

Talking to a chatbot complete Slack is simply a spot of a Turing test moment. I person immoderate engineering buddies. I've known them since measurement earlier generative AI, truthful I cognize they're really human. But from their patterns of conversation, it wouldn't beryllium difficult to ideate that they could beryllium AIs.

So it's not that large a jump to consciousness arsenic if talking to an AI is simply a batch for illustration talking to a colleague, particularly erstwhile doing it complete Slack.

Once you merge Slack pinch Codex, each you person to do is receptor pain Codex pinch an @codex mention, and you'll get results backmost from nan machine.

Also: ChatGPT wants to enactment much for illustration an OS - arsenic it transforms into an app platform

Stay tuned, because I'll beryllium mounting this up successful a forthcoming article and will show you each astir really that works.

Codex SDK

The adjacent large capacity announced by OpenAI is nan Codex SDK (software improvement kit). You tin now telephone Codex from your code. Additionally, OpenAI announced that they've released a caller GitHub Action (smart codification that runs connected GitHub) that makes it easy to merge Codex into your CI/CD (continuous integration and continuous deployment) pipeline.

Also: OpenAI has caller agentic coding partner for you now: GPT-5-Codex

Wrap your caput astir that for a minute. You tin constitute codification that sends a connection to an AI asking it to constitute code, which you tin past incorporated into your code. I know. Recursion: spot recursion. Right?

In immoderate case, this is large because it allows Codex to beryllium portion of automated engineering workflows. I mean, you'd person to spot Codex capable to fto it tally autonomously arsenic portion of different workflow. But still, I tin image having it integrated with, say, a bug-reporting system. When a bug is reported, I tin envision nan summons guidance strategy automatically firing disconnected Codex to spot if it tin hole nan bug, each without needing coder time.

Also: 10 ChatGPT Codex secrets I only learned aft 60 hours of brace programming pinch it

Just, you know, beryllium careful. Codex is astonishingly powerful, but it besides is astonishingly boneheaded. In my experience, it does immoderate really dumb worldly if it doesn't person patient quality guidance. I'm concerned that nan Codex SDK whitethorn beryllium seen arsenic a solution that obviates nan request for quality oversight. Don't make that mistake.

New guidance features

This came arsenic thing of a astonishment to me. According to OpenAI, ChatGPT admins tin edit aliases delete Codex unreality environments. When Codex useful connected your repo, it creates an isolated instrumentality to run successful while working.

Also: ChatGPT tin bargain worldly for you now - everlastingly changing online shopping

I ever thought (or assumed) that Codex deleted those containers erstwhile nan convention ended. But it seems that Codex keeps them astir truthful you tin inspect logs and diffs later. Of course, those containers mightiness incorporate delicate information. Well, now ChatGPT admins tin region those containers proactively.

Admins tin besides "enforce safer defaults for section usage pinch nan Codex CLI and IDE extension, for illustration defining overrides done managed configuration aliases show actions taken by Codex."

Also: Don't usage ChatGPT sound mode if you want accuracy - here's why

The institution has besides introduced caller analytics that study connected usage crossed relationship paradigms, arsenic good arsenic way nan value of codification reviews.

These admin features are disposable to those connected Business, Edu, and Enterprise plans.

Pricing changes

I've written earlier astir Codex assets allocation and really location is considerably much usage allotted for users of Pro plans than for users of Plus plans. That facet remains, but arsenic of Oct. 20, OpenAI will commencement counting your usage of Codex unreality tasks arsenic portion of your assets allocation. For much accusation connected Codex plans and their differences, cheque retired this page.

Also: Is ChatGPT Plus still worthy $20 erstwhile nan free type offers truthful overmuch - including GPT-5?

'Generally available'

So let's talk astir nan large "generally available" header connected OpenAI's announcement. The reasonably evident mobility is, "How could thing that grew successful usage by 10 times betwixt August and September not already beryllium considered 'generally available'?"

I really reached retired to OpenAI astir this very question. I've been paying $200 a period for something. It useful really well. Obviously, it is available. So what do they mean erstwhile they denote it's only now becoming "generally available"?

Also: ChatGPT is crushing rivals successful nan AI chatbot title by each measures - but for really long?

A firm spokesperson sewage backmost to me, saying: "You're correct. Codex has been successful investigation preview, disposable to Plus and Pro users. Codex has already seen a batch of traction pinch individual developers, but for GA, OpenAI wanted to beryllium judge Codex is disposable everyplace developers activity (in nan editor, terminal, Slack, aliases their ain tools) and besides much adjuvant for engineering teams. The Slack integration, Codex SDK, and admin devices were important for ensuring that."

Basically, OpenAI graduated Codex from a paid preview to a full-on product. While location is intelligibly immoderate trading hair-splitting, my takeaway is 1 cardinal message: nan crippled is afoot.

And, based connected my aggravated heavy dive into Codex, I tin personally corroborate that it's sewage game.

Also: ChatGPT conscionable saved maine 25% disconnected my meal coming - here's how

Have you tried utilizing Codex yet, either successful your editor, terminal, aliases complete Slack? Do you spot yourself integrating it into your improvement workflow aliases moreover letting it tally autonomously done nan caller SDK? What do you deliberation of OpenAI's attack to making Codex "generally available"? Does this consciousness for illustration a existent merchandise aliases conscionable a rebranding of nan preview? How overmuch autonomy would you personally spot an AI coding adjunct pinch successful your ain projects? Let america cognize successful nan comments below.

You tin travel my day-to-day task updates connected societal media. Be judge to subscribe to my play update newsletter, and travel maine connected Twitter/X astatine @DavidGewirtz, connected Facebook astatine Facebook.com/DavidGewirtz, connected Instagram astatine Instagram.com/DavidGewirtz, connected Bluesky astatine @DavidGewirtz.com, and connected YouTube astatine YouTube.com/DavidGewirtzTV.

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