OpenAI launches new Codex tools for white-collar work

OpenAI released a new set of capabilities for Codex to expand the tool's uses in the workplace. The company also published an internal report on Codex usage in knowledge work. The report found that Codex now has more than 5 million weekly active users, up more than 6x since the launch of the desktop app in February. While developers remain the largest user group, knowledge workers represent about 20 percent of users and are growing more than three times as fast. OpenAI released six plug-ins for specific jobs in data analytics, creative production, sales, product design, equity investing, and investment banking. Each plug-in bundles integrations, instructions, and context to allow Codex to approximate work in those areas. OpenAI introduced a Sites feature that allows Codex to output its work product as a hosted interactive website. The company is partnering with Wix, Base44, Replit, Lovable, Figma, and Emergent. OpenAI plans to develop a larger partner ecosystem to support the service. A new Annotations feature will allow users to designate a specific part of a document or file for more targeted commands and context operations. The new features come after the launch of the OpenAI Deployment Company joint venture, which includes more than 4 billion dollars in funding from global investment firms. OpenAI chief revenue officer Denise Dresser said in a statement that AI is becoming capable of doing increasingly meaningful work inside organizations. The challenge now is helping companies integrate these systems into the infrastructure and workflows that power their businesses.