OpenAI launches AI pets for Codex coding tool with customizable animated companions

OpenAI's Cute New AI 'Pets' Can Help You Vibe Code

Codex's AI 'pets' act as floating overlays on your screen, giving you progress updates while you work on other tasks in different windows, such as when your prompt has finished running. Need some good vibes while you vibe code? OpenAI is rolling out new AI "pets" for its agentic vibe coding tool Codex, adding a touch of virtual companionship. These "pets" act as floating overlays on your screen, giving you progress updates while you work on other tasks in different windows, according to documentation first spotted by Engadget. For example, they can show when your prompt has finished running or when the agent needs your input. There are eight built-in pets to choose from, including classics like cats and dogs. But if you're feeling adventurous, you can also create your own by prompting Codex. Users can share the pets they create via an online platform, with some popular creations, including characters from classic franchises like Star Wars, Harry Potter, Pokémon, and Dragon Ball Z. Icons inspired by famous figures like President Trump and what appears to be the Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi are also available. And in a dose of nostalgia from a much more primitive time in computing history, a Mr. Clippy icon is also available. The throwback to Microsoft's early 2000s Office assistant is one of the community's most popular picks. Codex, OpenAI's AI coding agent for software engineering tasks like writing code and fixing bugs, was released in 2025. It's already estimated to have millions of users and can help people without technical skills build software tools. The new coding companions are already available on the Windows and macOS versions of Codex. If you prefer to code on mobile, OpenAI didn't mention anything about a potential iOS or Android rollout. If you'd like to give the new feature a go, head to Settings, go to Appearance, and choose Pets. From there, you can either select a built-in pet or create custom pets from your local Codex environment. To toggle your new pet off and on, type /pet into the composer, then use Wake Pet or Tuck Away Pet in Settings > Appearance. Alternatively, you can press Cmd+K or Ctrl+K and run the same commands to toggle the floating overlay.

OpenAI introduces AI-generated pets for its Codex app - Engadget

Vibe coding just got a whole lot more adorable. OpenAI introduced AI-generated pets to the Codex app, its agentic tool that helps with coding. These "optional animated companions" don't do any coding themselves, but serve as a floating overlay that can tell you what Codex is working on, notify you when Codex completes a task or whether it needs your input on something. The new feature lets developers see Codex's active thread, without having to switch away from your current open app. Users can type "/pet" in to the Codex app to summon or dismiss the companion. There are eight built-in pets to choose from, but you can also generate your own with the help of AI with the "/hatch" command, like a cute goblin companion. Early adopters have already uploaded a bunch of options and there are even some versions of Microsoft Clippy. The pets are already available on both Windows and macOS versions of Codex. For a limited time, OpenAI is also offering 30 days of ChatGPT Pro for 10 of their favorite generated companions.

I love my new Codex AI pet -- and now I want one in every app

The feature enhances multitasking efficiency by keeping users informed of AI agent activity without constant monitoring of the main interface. Whether I'm using Claude's desktop Cowork application or OpenAI's Codex coding app, I prefer that my AI agents check back with me before making high-stakes decisions. But while that makes for a safer setup, it also means my agents are often waiting around, twiddling their thumbs as they wait for me to approve their next steps. Now, if I'm sitting and watching the Cowork or Codex apps in action, I'll see right away when an agent is awaiting my approval. But if I'm working in another window or multitasking, I could easily miss the fact that an idled Cowork or Codex agent is sitting around, staring vacantly into space. That's why I'm a fan of OpenAI's new Codex AI pets. These little animated buddies sit in the corner of your desktop, complete with thought bubbles that let you know what your Codex AI agents are up to. While the status reports are nice, what I really like about the Codex pets is that they give you visual cues when your agents need your input or are awaiting fresh instructions. If a Codex agent is waiting for your approval before executing a command, the thought bubble will display a small red clock face. If the agent has finished a task and is ready for a new prompt, you'll see a green checkmark. Your Codex pet stays on top of other desktop windows and you can drag it wherever you wish; I've been keeping mine in the bottom-right corner of the screen. And yes, these Codex pets are cute, and you can choose from eight pre-made versions, from the default blue "Codex" and the duck-shaped "Dewey" to "Rocky" (perfect for Project Hail Mary fans) and even the dreaded "BSOD." You can spawn a pet in Codex by entering the "/pet" command, and you can choose a different pet from the Appearance menu. To create your own pet, just install the "hatch pet" skill ("$skill-installer hatch-pet") then call the skill to create your own Codex buddy ("$hatch-pet create a new pet inspired by my recent projects"). No, there's nothing monumental or groundbreaking about Codex pets (the terminal version of Claude Code boasts "buddies," for example), but they're surprisingly useful. I feel much more in the loop knowing what my AI agents are doing in the background, and now I'm wishing more agentic AI desktop apps offered similar pals.

OpenAI adds AI pets to its Codex coding tool

AI companions are quietly becoming a staple across the industry, and OpenAI is now joining the trend. The company has launched Codex Pets, an optional animated companion baked into its AI coding tool. Like most AI companions, it isn't doing any heavy lifting. But Codex Pets earns its keep as a floating overlay that surfaces project status updates in real-time, so you don't have to switch tabs. Users can monitor active threads and track whether Codex is running, waiting on input, or ready for review, all without ever leaving whatever they're working on. Getting started is straightforward. Head to Settings, select Appearance, then choose Pets to pick from the built-in options. Once activated, the floating overlay can be toggled on or off by typing /pet in the composer, using Wake Pet or Tuck Away Pet in Settings > Appearance, or by pressing Cmd+K on Mac or Ctrl+K on Windows. The feature ships with eight built-in variations -- including a cat and dog -- but the more interesting play is the custom pet creator. Users can prompt Codex directly to generate their own companion, then share it online. A quick scroll through the homepage reveals the community has already gotten to work. Current creations include Goku, Patrick Star, Microsoft's long-retired Clippy, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei, and -- naturally -- a goblin.

OpenAI adds Codex Pets animated overlay to coding tool

OpenAI has launched Codex Pets, an animated companion feature for its Codex coding tool, designed to enhance user experience with project status updates. Codex Pets functions as a floating overlay that allows users to monitor active threads without switching tabs. This feature informs users if Codex is running, waiting for input, or ready for review, thus streamlining workflow. To activate Codex Pets, users navigate to Settings, select Appearance, and choose Pets. The overlay can be toggled on or off through several methods: by typing /pet in the composer, using the designated options in Settings, or pressing Cmd+K on Mac or Ctrl+K on Windows. The feature includes eight built-in pet variations, among them a cat and a dog. Additionally, users can create custom pets by directly prompting Codex, which allows for personalization. The community has already shared a variety of custom creations, featuring characters such as Goku, Patrick Star, Microsoft's Clippy, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei, and others. In related news, Ziff Davis, the parent company of Mashable, filed a lawsuit against OpenAI in April 2025, accusing the company of copyright infringement regarding the training and operation of its AI systems.