OpenAI Codex Update Adds Screen‑Reading AI, Goal Automation, and Locked‑Screen Remote Control
OpenAI’s latest Codex release introduces Appshots that read hidden screen text, a /goal mode for autonomous long‑term tasks, locked‑screen remote operation, a ChatGPT‑for‑PowerPoint plugin, and shows rapid user growth, signalling a shift from a coding assistant to a full‑stack AI teammate.
Appshots – screen capture and hidden content extraction
Press Command+Command (double‑press) to capture the entire screen. Codex reads visible text, URLs, file paths, and also extracts text that is off‑screen (e.g., scrollable content not currently visible). The extracted content is inserted into the active Codex thread. If the user interacts with the same thread within 60 seconds, the new Appshot is automatically appended; multiple Appshots are grouped in the same thread.
/goal mode – autonomous long‑term execution
Users specify a concrete milestone with the /goal command in the Codex app, IDE extension, or CLI. After the goal is set, Codex runs continuously like an “indefatigable worker”, advancing the task for hours or days. The user can query progress, change direction, or pause execution at any time, turning a single‑prompt interaction into a multi‑step autonomous workflow.
Locked‑screen remote control
Enabling the macOS “Locked Use” setting allows Codex to control the Mac while the screen is locked or the computer is asleep. Control is performed from a phone, giving the AI 24 × 7 remote access. OpenAI refers to this capability as “black magic”.
ChatGPT for PowerPoint plugin
A beta plugin lets ChatGPT create, edit, and fully customize slides inside PowerPoint. The AI can pull real‑time data from Gmail, Outlook, and SharePoint, eliminating manual copy‑paste. Generated slides are completely editable. The plugin also offers a choice of AI models (ChatGPT, Claude, Copilot).
Additional platform enhancements
In‑app browser speed and accuracy have been significantly improved.
Advanced annotation mode enables direct UI element editing with real‑time code generation.
Business teams can share custom plugins, reuse internal tools, and centrally manage workspace plugins.
The Analytics API now provides metrics such as active users, credits consumption, token usage, run counts, user rankings, generated code lines, and plugin usage.
User adoption metrics
Weekly active Codex developers exceed 4 million, up from 3 million two weeks earlier. Business and Enterprise user numbers grew six‑fold between January and April 2026. Approximately 50 % of users employ Codex for tasks beyond coding, including automation, cross‑tool collaboration, long‑term task management, and remote computer control.
Release status
Appshots are rolling out to all macOS versions; enterprise‑only permissions will be added later. The locked‑screen remote control and /goal mode are available to all developers. The PowerPoint plugin is in global beta.
Reference
Source tweet: https://x.com/OpenAIDevs/status/2057530207976989179?s=20
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