Updated
Updated · ZDNet · Jul 13
OpenAI Replaces ChatGPT Desktop With Codex, Removing $20-Plan Screenshot and Work With Tools
Updated
Updated · ZDNet · Jul 13

OpenAI Replaces ChatGPT Desktop With Codex, Removing $20-Plan Screenshot and Work With Tools

3 articles · Updated · ZDNet · Jul 13

Summary

  • OpenAI’s updated Mac desktop app now opens as a Codex-based interface and strips out two longtime ChatGPT productivity features: in-app screenshots and the “Work with” window-context tool.
  • The redesign folds ChatGPT Work into the same Codex shell, leaving regular chat behind a small pop-up and removing the familiar sidebar, GPT list, Library and fuller desktop workflow.
  • The report says the shift steers users from standard chat tiers such as the $20 Plus plan toward pricier agentic products, with Codex tied to at least the $100 Pro plan and Work likely consuming more usage.
  • Browser-based ChatGPT still retains projects, pinned items, chat history, GPTs and Library, making the web version the more complete option for most non-coding users.
  • A Windows version of the reworked desktop app is still coming, while OpenAI had not responded to questions on whether it will restore the removed desktop features.

Insights

Is OpenAI's push for expensive AI agents abandoning its promise of a universally accessible tool?
Facing a $1.4 trillion bill, is OpenAI's agentic AI pivot a brilliant lifeline or a final, desperate gamble?
As AI costs skyrocket, are we entering an era where only the wealthiest companies can afford true AI agents?