There's a quiet war between OpenAI and Anthropic. The prize: dominance in AI-powered coding tools. So far, Anthropic seems to be winning. Claude Code has become the tool of choice for many businesses. But OpenAI isn't giving up. This week, the company announced a major revamp of Codex its own automated coding tool with a wave of new features and expanded capabilities.
Background Agents on Your Desktop
The biggest update is that Codex can now operate in the background on your computer. It can open any app on your desktop and carry out tasks using a cursor that clicks and types.
This means Codex can deploy multiple agents on a user's Mac. They all work in parallel without interfering with what you're doing. You can keep using your machine while the agents handle their own tasks.
Think of it as a coding buddy. It takes care of side work while you focus on the main project. OpenAI lists frontend iteration, app testing, and working with apps that lack an API as potential use cases.
This agentic update signals OpenAI's broader ambition. The goal isn't just to build a coding assistant. It's to create a multifaceted tool that fits into a variety of corporate workflows.
Echoes of Anthropic's Playbook
Some of these new powers look familiar. Last month, Anthropic announced that Claude and Cowork could remotely control a user's Mac while they were away from their keyboard. OpenAI's background agent feature covers similar ground.
The rivalry between the two companies continues to sharpen. Each is racing to offer deeper desktop integration and more autonomous agentic capabilities.
In-App Browser
Codex also now includes an in-app browser. Users can issue commands to the agent, which then carries them out inside specific web applications.
OpenAI says this is useful for frontend and game development. The company plans to eventually expand the feature so Codex can fully command the browser beyond local web apps.
Memory, Image Generation, and Plugins
Several other updates round out the release. A new "memory" feature, currently in preview, lets Codex recall previous work sessions. It builds context about how a specific user works over time.
Codex has also gained image-generation abilities. OpenAI says it can now create product concepts, slide visuals, mockups, and placeholder images.
And then there are the plugins. OpenAI announced 111 new integrations from tools like CodeRabbit and GitLab Issues. These let Codex carry out tasks involving those platforms directly.
Clerical Work, Automated
OpenAI frames the plugin integrations as a way to handle minor clerical work. For example, Codex can now check your Slack channels and Google Calendar. Then it can build a to-do list for your day.
A new pay-as-you-go pricing option has also been announced. It's aimed at ChatGPT Enterprise and Business customers, giving them more flexibility in how they pay for the tool.
The Bigger Picture
OpenAI was once the undisputed leader in its industry. In recent months, it has competed more fiercely with Anthropic, especially on enterprise capabilities. At the same time, the company has pulled back from consumer tools like its social video app Sora 2, which recently shut down.
The company has also dealt with several controversies. These include lawsuits over ChatGPT's alleged mental health impact on some users. The Codex revamp signals a clear pivot: enterprise AI is the priority.
