OpenAI is folding Codex into a ChatGPT desktop app, according to a Thursday post from the company’s OpenAI Developers account. The company describes the move as bringing "Codex and ChatGPT together in one desktop app," with ChatGPT Work, a new Chrome extension, a revamped in-app browser and a faster Computer Use system powered by GPT-5.6.
OpenAI also told current Codex users to update the app as usual, adding that it "will become the new ChatGPT desktop app, where Codex has its own dedicated space." The account’s accompanying material appears to show a dark-mode ChatGPT desktop sidebar on macOS with entries for ChatGPT, Scheduled, Library, GPTs and Projects, plus a "New project" item under that section.
The company separately announced that Sites is now in beta for Pro and Plus users. OpenAI says the feature lets people "build interactive apps with GPT-5.6 and deploy them using Sites," with hosting, storage and optional auth built in.
The new Chrome extension is also intended to let ChatGPT work alongside users in the browser, with the ability to start or resume threads and access desktop context such as local files, projects, plugins and skills. OpenAI says users can install the ChatGPT extension or update the Codex extension to begin using it.
On the agent side, OpenAI says Computer Use is now "faster and more token-efficient," with support for batching and parallel operations across multi-step tasks. It also includes a picture-in-picture view for supervising the agent while it runs in the background.
Early reaction on X leaned skeptical, with replies asking about Windows and Linux availability, missing ChatGPT projects and chat histories, and whether the merger would change connectors, limits or other existing workflows. Some commenters argued that keeping development tools and chat separate had worked better.
Source: OpenAI Developers
