Codex can now use Chrome directly on macOS and Windows.

TL;DR: OpenAI released a Chrome extension for Codex (called Cortex in the transcript) that lets it use your real browser with cookies, sessions, and multiple tabs, working in the background without interfering. ## How the Chrome Extension Works The extension works alongside the Codex desktop app on both Windows and macOS. Instead of relying on Codex's built-in browser, which is useful for local development and detailed feedback via annotations, the Chrome extension lets Codex operate inside your actual Chrome instance—the same profile, cookies, sessions, and logged-in applications you use day‑to‑day. This means Codex can open its own Chrome tab group, work in the background, open multiple tabs, scroll, find content, and reason in real time about whether its actions are correct—all without taking over your browsing experience. You can keep working in your own tabs uninterrupted. Because the extension can execute code directly, Codex doesn't need the usual screenshot‑think‑move‑mouse loop to control Chrome. It can script repetitive tasks and even work in parallel across several tabs at once. ## Use Cases ### Research and Spreadsheet Creation For example, you can ask Codex to research user opinions on a new product, identify new use cases, highlight pain points, and then output everything into a real spreadsheet. The extension opens multiple tabs, scrolls through pages, and consolidates the results automatically. ### Expense Reporting with Combined Plugins Codex can combine the Chrome extension with other plugins. When processing expenses, it can check your email via a plugin, search for messages related to a recent trip, extract all relevant information, and fill out an expense form. It can even upload missing receipts directly from your computer. ### Multi‑Agent Gaming The extension also enables parallel sub‑agents. For instance, the speaker describes building a multiplayer drawing game where Codex spawns multiple independent sub‑agents, each in its own browser tab, that play the game together and collaborate. ## Getting the Most Out of the Extension The Chrome extension bridges the gap between Codex and the tools you already use. Whether you need to navigate web‑only applications, use your logged‑in session context, or automate tasks across multiple tabs, the extension makes it possible. If a specific application doesn't have a dedicated plugin, the extension lets Codex interact with the full web app directly. Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b6Mxcv1pyBU