OpenAI Unveils New Tool for Computer Programmers

The tool, Codex, will be able to handle multiple tasks at the same time, the company said. OpenAI is also in talks to acquire a coding tool called Windsurf for $3 billion.

OpenAI on Friday unveiled a new tool that can help computer programmers with tasks like writing code, fixing bugs and running tests.

Artificial intelligence researchers call this kind of technology an A.I. agent. While chatbots can answer questions, write poems and generate images, agents can use other software and services on the internet. This might involve anything from ordering dinner through DoorDash to synthesizing information from a variety of online sources.

OpenAI said in a blog post that its new tool, Codex, can handle multiple tasks at the same time.

Starting Friday, Codex will be available to any subscribers to ChatGPT Pro, a $200-a-month service that provides access to all of OpenAI’s latest tools, the company said. It plans to also offer Codex through its other paid services.

OpenAI is also in talks to acquire Windsurf, another A.I.-powered programming tool, for around $3 billion, according to two people familiar with the discussions. The acquisition could gain OpenAI thousands of new customers in the tech industry, which is rapidly embracing tools that can instantly generate computer code.

The potential deal, which would be OpenAI’s largest acquisition, is part of the company’s effort to expand its offerings beyond its popular chatbot, ChatGPT.

(The New York Times has sued OpenAI and its partner, Microsoft, accusing them of copyright infringement of news content related to A.I. systems. OpenAI and Microsoft have denied those claims.)

Explore Our Coverage of Artificial Intelligence

News and Analysis

• OpenAI Unites With iPhone Designer: The company said it was buying IO, a start-up founded by Jony Ive to usher in a new era of artificial intelligence hardware.
• Writing and A.I.: The start-up Every centered its business model on artificial intelligence that won’t replace its writers, and has raised $2 million from backers including Reid Hoffman, the founder of LinkedIn.
• Chip Controls: Efforts to limit China’s access to the cutting-edge computer chips needed for advanced artificial intelligence have only made Chinese tech companies stronger, according to the chief executive of America’s leading chipmaker company.
• Malaysia's New Reality: A crucial cog in the global semiconductor industry, Malaysia aims to build high-end chips. It will have to contend with President Trump’s trade policy first.

The Age of A.I.

• Reading List in Chicago Sun-Times: An A.I.-generated summer reading insert recommended made-up titles by real authors such as Isabel Allende and Delia Owens.
• Coding With A.I.: Pushed to use artificial intelligence, some software engineers at Amazon say their work has become more routine, less thoughtful and, crucially, much faster paced.
• Miami Schools Embrace Chatbots: After initially banning artificial intelligence chatbots, schools are embracing the tools. Miami, the third-largest U.S. school district, shows how.
• An Agatha Christie Avatar: The long-dead British novelist has been reanimated and is “teaching” an online writing course. But do we want to learn from a digital prosthetic built by artificial intelligence?