OpenAI Codex: From Code Assistant to Computer Operator with Memory

Until last week, OpenAI's Codex was mainly one thing: a coding assistant. You give it a task, Codex writes code. Good, but limited. Since April 16, 2026, Codex has become something entirely different — and it affects more than just developers.

What changed:

Codex can now operate your Mac in the background. Not figuratively, but literally: the app sees your screen, clicks buttons, types in fields — with its own cursor that does not interfere with yours. Multiple Codex agents can work in parallel while you continue using your own apps.

The 5 most important new features:

1. Computer Use (Background):
Codex opens apps, navigates through menus, and performs actions — all in the background. Example: you say 'Create a presentation from these notes' and Codex opens the app, builds the slides, and reports back when it is done. Currently only available on macOS and not available in the EU, UK, or Switzerland (regulation).

2. Memory (Preview):
Codex remembers preferences from past tasks: your preferred coding style, project conventions, recurring workflows. Instead of starting from zero every time, Codex learns from working with you.

3. Over 90 new plugins:
Codex now talks to significantly more tools and services. Key additions include:
- Atlassian Rovo (manage JIRA tickets)
- CircleCI (control CI/CD pipelines)
- GitLab Issues (not just GitHub anymore)
- Microsoft Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint)
- Neon by Databricks (databases)
- Render (deployments)

The plugins combine MCP servers, app integrations, and specialized skills in one system.

4. In-App Browser:
Codex now has a built-in browser. You can open local or public web pages, comment directly on the rendered page, and ask Codex to implement your feedback. Especially useful for frontend development: view the design, give feedback, have it changed — all in one window.

5. GitHub Workflow in Codex:
Review pull requests, read diff comments, make changes, and respond to reviews — directly in the Codex app, without switching between browser and editor.

What this means for non-developers:

The computer use feature is the real game changer. When Codex can operate your computer, it becomes a digital assistant that does not just plan tasks but executes them. Creating presentations, moving data between apps, filling out forms — these are not coding tasks, but exactly the kind of work Codex can now handle.

Context and limitations:
- Price: Codex is part of ChatGPT Plus (20 USD/month) with limited quota. The new Pro plan (100 USD/month) offers up to 10x more Codex usage.
- Availability: Computer Use is currently limited to macOS and not available in the EU. Memory is rolling out as a limited preview feature.
- Security: Before Codex performs any action beyond reading, it asks for permission. Still: do not let it loose on sensitive data unsupervised.

Why this matters: Codex shows where AI assistants are heading in 2026 — away from pure chat, toward agents that act on your computer. Anthropic is pursuing the same vision with Claude Computer Use, Google with Project Mariner. The difference: with this update, Codex is the first tool to combine computer use, memory, and a plugin ecosystem in one app and make it available to millions of users.

Source: openai.com/index/codex-for-almost-everything/ — official announcement from April 16, 2026.