OpenAI Launches ChatGPT Work, Merges Codex Into Desktop App
With ChatGPT Work, OpenAI shifts its product focus from conversational AI to autonomous task completion, signaling that the company sees agent-based automation as the next battleground in enterprise AI, directly challenging Anthropic's Claude Cowork.
Key Facts
- OpenAI announced ChatGPT Work on July 9, 2026, an agent that autonomously completes tasks from research to finished deliverables.
- ChatGPT Work is built on the GPT-5.6 model, which is available in three tiers: Sol (paid), Terra (free), and Luna.
- The standalone Codex app has been merged into the new ChatGPT desktop app; the old ChatGPT desktop app is renamed ChatGPT Classic.
- ChatGPT Atlas, OpenAI's standalone AI browser, will be discontinued, with service ending August 9, 2026.
- ChatGPT Work usage is measured by task complexity rather than message count, consuming a quota from the user's plan.
Reporting from 3 sources: ASCII.jp, GameBusiness.jp, GIGAZINE.
OpenAI on July 9, 2026, announced ChatGPT Work, a new agent feature that autonomously handles complex tasks from research to finished deliverables. The system is built on the GPT-5.6 model and integrates the technology previously used by the coding agent Codex. The announcement also merged the standalone Codex app into a new ChatGPT desktop application, while the previous ChatGPT desktop app was renamed ChatGPT Classic. ChatGPT Work can create documents, spreadsheets, presentations, and web apps, and it connects to third-party services like Slack, Microsoft Teams, and Google Drive through plugins. It also includes scheduled tasks, a "Sites" feature for publishing deliverables, and Computer Use on desktop for local file and browser operations. The web and mobile versions are rolling out to Pro, Enterprise, and Edu plans first, with Plus and Business expected within days; the desktop app is available for all plans including Free. Usage follows a quota system based on task complexity. OpenAI also announced the discontinuation of the ChatGPT Atlas browser, with service ending August 9, 2026, and its features moving to the Chrome extension. ChatGPT Work is positioned as a direct competitor to Anthropic's Claude Cowork.
The new ChatGPT desktop app is delivered by updating the existing Codex app, not as a fresh install. When a user launches the Codex app, a dialog reads "Codex has become the ChatGPT app" and the transition happens in place. The previous ChatGPT desktop app is renamed "ChatGPT Classic" and will not receive further updates or support. In the new app, the chat interface opens as a small floating window inside the main window rather than a full right-side panel, which ASCII.jp notes may take some getting used to. The web version uses a toggle at the top for "Chat" and "Work"; there is no Codex mode on the web. Web and mobile Work runs in the cloud and cannot access local files, and conversation history is not synced with the desktop version at launch.
GPT-5.6, which powers Work, comes in three tiers: Sol, Terra, and Luna. Paid plans get the top-tier Sol; the free plan uses Terra. Usage follows a quota system based on actual work volume, not request count. A task that runs for several hours consumes more quota. Despite the official rollout schedule, ASCII.jp's reporter found that their Plus account already had access to both web and desktop Work at the time of writing.
Codex, which remains available as a coding agent, is used by 5 million people per week, with over 1 million using it for non-development purposes, according to GameBusiness.jp. New Codex features include inline editing, side-panel pull request review, multi-repository support, and faster computer use with GPT-5.6. For enterprise customers, administrators can set access permissions, connectable tools, and usage limits per department or individual. OpenAI says an "Auto-review" function, where a higher-level model reviews important operations before execution, blocked 100% of attempts to extract protected data in red team exercises.
On the Atlas browser discontinuation, OpenAI stated: "These features incorporate learnings from Atlas and from users who helped us understand how agent-type tools can make browser-based work more convenient. The standalone Atlas browser will be phased out, and we will guide users on how to migrate to ChatGPT." The end-of-service date is August 9, 2026.
Synthesized by Yomimono from the 3 cited sources below, including Japanese-language reporting where cited, then editorially reviewed before publishing.