AI Pets Introduced in OpenAI’s Codex Coding Tool

AI companions are steadily becoming a fundamental element in various industries, and OpenAI is now embracing this exciting trend. The company has unveiled Codex Pets, an optional animated companion integrated into its AI coding tool. This innovative feature not only enhances user interaction but also adds a playful element to the coding experience.

Similar to many other AI companions, Codex Pets does not handle complex tasks. However, it provides significant value as a floating overlay that displays project status updates in real-time, allowing users to stay informed without needing to switch tabs. With Codex Pets, users can monitor active threads and easily check whether Codex is actively running, awaiting input, or prepared for review—all without disrupting their workflow.

Getting started with Codex Pets is an easy process. Simply navigate to Settings, select Appearance, and then choose Pets to explore the built-in options available. Once you activate this feature, the floating overlay can be toggled on or off by typing /pet in the composer, selecting Wake Pet or Tuck Away Pet in Settings > Appearance, or by using the keyboard shortcuts Cmd+K on Mac or Ctrl+K on Windows.

The feature comes equipped with eight built-in variations, including a cat and dog. However, the standout aspect is the custom pet creator, which allows users to directly prompt Codex to generate their own unique companion and share it online. A quick scroll through the homepage reveals a vibrant community that has already begun to craft their creations. Current examples include characters like Goku, Patrick Star, Microsoft’s long-retired Clippy, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei, and, amusingly, a goblin.

Disclosure: Ziff Davis, the parent company of Mashable, filed a lawsuit against OpenAI in April 2025, alleging that the company infringed upon Ziff Davis copyrights while training and operating its AI systems.