Codex on Mac: AI Automation & App Building

OpenAI's Codex agent, now part of the ChatGPT desktop app, is changing how people use AI. While ChatGPT became a regular tool for many, Codex initially seemed more for programmers. What's interesting is that Codex for Mac added a "Computer Use" feature in April, which has shifted this perception. This new functionality builds on a history of mobile automation, tracing back to the Workflow app in 2014, which Apple later acquired and turned into Shortcuts. The team behind Workflow eventually formed a startup, whose technology was acquired by OpenAI and delivered as the Computer Use plugin in Codex. The writer, who wasn't a builder with Workflow or Shortcuts, found Codex initially intimidating compared to ChatGPT. However, a feature within Codex called "Pets" helped bridge that gap. Since May, Codex has become a daily tool. The writer even started using Codex to build a Mac app called Flow to monitor app releases and updates. The bottom line is that Codex is transforming how users interact with AI on their Macs, offering new capabilities for automation and personal projects.