What is OpenAI's Codex app and how many downloads did it achieve?

OpenAI's Codex app is a standalone application for Mac computers designed as an agentic coding command center, which surpassed one million downloads in its first week.

What capabilities does the Codex app offer to users?

The Codex app allows users to run parallel worktrees, delegate long-running tasks to background automations, and supervise coordinated AI agent teams through a unified desktop interface.

Will free access to OpenAI's Codex app continue indefinitely?

While Codex will remain available to Free/Go users after the promotion, OpenAI has indicated that limits may be reduced, signaling a transition toward a more restricted model for free and lower-tier access.

Home / Technology / AI Coder Hits 1M Downloads, Limits Loom

AI Coder Hits 1M Downloads, Limits Loom

10 Feb

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Summary

OpenAI's Codex app exceeded one million downloads in its first week.
The AI coding tool orchestrates multiple agents simultaneously.
Free access to powerful AI coding tools is expected to become restricted.

OpenAI's standalone Codex application for Mac has achieved a significant milestone, reaching over one million downloads within its first week of release. This rapid adoption echoes the initial growth of ChatGPT.

The Codex app is designed as an advanced command center for agentic coding, utilizing the powerful GPT-5.3-Codex model. It enables users to run parallel worktrees, delegate long-running tasks, and supervise coordinated AI agent teams through a unified interface.

This impressive download count was boosted by a limited promotional period offering free access to ChatGPT Free and 'Go' tier users. However, CEO Sam Altman has cautioned that this high-compute free access is temporary and may face reduced limits for these users moving forward.