The animated companion oversees your tasks in the background.
AI companions are becoming increasingly common in various industries, and OpenAI is now part of this trend. They have introduced Codex Pets, an optional animated assistant integrated into its AI coding tool.
Similar to other AI companions, Codex Pets doesn’t perform heavy tasks but serves as a floating overlay that provides real-time project updates without switching tabs. Users can track ongoing threads and see if Codex is functioning, waiting for input, or ready for review, all within the user’s current workspace.
Activating it is simple. Go to Settings, choose Appearance, and then select Pets to choose from available options. Once enabled, the floating overlay can be toggled on or off by typing /pet in the composer, using commands like Wake Pet or Tuck Away Pet under Settings > Appearance, or by pressing Cmd+K on Mac or Ctrl+K on Windows.
The feature includes eight default pets, like a cat and dog, but the standout feature is the ability to create custom pets. Users can prompt Codex to create their companion and share it online. A browse through the homepage displays the community’s creativity, with current designs featuring Goku, Patrick Star, Microsoft’s Clippy, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei, and even a goblin.
Disclosure: In April 2025, Ziff Davis, Mashable’s parent company, filed a lawsuit against OpenAI, claiming copyright infringement in their AI systems’ training and operation.