The new AI companion

OpenAI's launch of pets in its Codex tool just brings more life and character to software

- SUGANDHA MUKHERJEE

OPENAI'S LATEST ADDITION to its Codex coding tool called AI pets is as gimmicky as it sounds.

Users can place floating companions on their screens while the software writes code, fixes bugs or completes tasks in the background. The pets act like status updates. A cat might signal when a task is done, while a cartoon dog may ask for user input. But behind the playful design is a bigger shift in how AI companies want people to interact with increasingly independent software.

Codex, launched in 2025, is designed to handle software tasks on its own. Unlike a chatbot that replies instantly and disappears, coding agents can keep working while users switch to emails, browsers or other apps.

Instead of a loading wheel or progress bar, OpenAI gives users something friendlier. The feature comes with eight builtin pets, including cats and dogs, but users can also design their own. Online, people have already created versions inspired by Star Wars, Harry Potter, Pokemon and Dragon Ball Z. Others have chosen political figures or nostalgic characters such as Donald Trump, Sam Altman and Microsoft's old assistant Mr Clippy. The difference now is that modern AI assistants can actually complete meaningful tasks.