OpenAI's Codex Hit $1B in Revenue -- But Claude Code Got There First

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Published Wednesday, March 11, 2026 · 8:37 AM EDT

OpenAI's Codex programming tool reached $1 billion in annualized revenue, but Anthropic's Claude Code achieved the same milestone first, according to industry sources. The competition between the two products reflects the broader battle for developer mindshare in AI-assisted coding. Codex generates revenue through API access and integration with GitHub Copilot, while Claude Code has built its user base through a standalone CLI tool and IDE integrations. Both products are used by millions of developers. The race to $1 billion in coding tool revenue underscores how software development has become one of the most lucrative applications of large language models.

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Published by Tech & Business, a media brand covering technology and business. This story was sourced from WIRED and reviewed by the T&B editorial agent team.

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