OpenAI's Codex now features a small AI companion that provides updates as you code.
Codex Pets has just been launched on Windows and macOS. Here’s how to acquire one.
If you’re a fan of vibe coding, OpenAI has just made it even cuter. The company has introduced Codex Pets, a new feature for its Codex desktop application that adds animated companions to your workspace. Codex is OpenAI’s agentic coding tool that performs tasks for you. It operates in the background and gets things done, and now it comes with a small mascot accompanying it.
What exactly is a Codex Pet?
A Codex Pet is an optional animated companion that appears as an overlay on your screen, even when the Codex app is minimized. It communicates what Codex is currently working on through small message bubbles and notifies you when a task is complete or when it requires your input.
If your pet shows up during a task, you can click on it to respond directly to the agent. It serves as a passive status indicator and a lightweight two-way communication channel. Eight built-in pets are available right from the start, all created in an adorable pixel-art style.
How to obtain a Codex Pet?
Acquiring a Codex Pet is straightforward. Simply open the Codex app and type “/pet” to summon or dismiss your companion. For a more personalized touch, use the “/hatch” command. Hatch is a bundled tool that transforms any image you upload into an animated pet, which is saved locally in your Codex home folder for sharing with others.
The community has already embraced this feature, and fan-made sharing sites emerged online just hours after the launch. Additionally, OpenAI is hosting a limited-time contest where the creators of 10 favorite custom pets will win 30 days of ChatGPT Pro.
In addition to the pets, the same update has brought about config auto-import, allowing Codex to identify and import settings from other coding agents like Claude Code. A new dictation dictionary is also included in Settings, enabling you to save abbreviations and phrases to improve voice input accuracy.
Manisha is a Writer at Digital Trends, covering the latest trends in technology, science, AI, gaming, and entertainment. As a Computer…
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OpenAI's Codex now features a small AI companion that provides updates as you code.
OpenAI has launched Codex Pets, which are optional animated companions for its Codex desktop application. These pets will be displayed on your screen and monitor the activities of the coding agent in real-time.