Skip to main content

Codex In The ChatGPT Desktop App

The current OpenAI desktop application is named ChatGPT, and its top-level selector can contain separate ChatGPT and Codex surfaces. For live Automation Agent work, select Codex.

This page is for the Codex / Claude Code mode in the Automation Agent panel, which uses the panel-managed local HTTP MCP server.

In the currently tested ChatGPT desktop release:

SurfaceAutomation Agent skillLocal Premiere MCPRecommended use
ChatGPT desktop app — CodexyesyesLive project inspection, authoring, validation, and execution
ChatGPT desktop app — ChatGPTplatform-dependent; do not rely on itnoNot a supported Automation Agent surface
ChatGPT web or mobilenot from the local Codex installationnoGeneral guidance only

The selector and available surfaces may change during OpenAI's rollout. On the tested macOS installation the ChatGPT surface could see the skill but not MCP; on the tested Windows installation it could see neither. Do not rely on the ChatGPT surface for Automation Agent work. Use Codex, where both the skill and local MCP have been verified on macOS and Windows.

Codex can also be configured as Workflow AI. In that role, a saved workflow can call the Codex CLI later from an askAgent step.

If the two roles are new to you, read AI Setup Roles first.

Which Role Does This Set Up?​

RoleSupported with Codex?What needs to be configured
AssistantyesCodex MCP config plus the Automation Agent Codex skill
Workflow AIyesCodex CLI executable, codex login, provider profile, and provider test

You can configure either role by itself, but many users will want both.

On macOS, the ChatGPT desktop app may include a runnable codex binary that Automation Agent can use for Workflow AI. On Windows, the app's package-internal executable is not a supported runnable path; install the Codex CLI separately if you want Workflow AI.

What You Need​

For Codex as your Assistant, three things need to be true at the same time:

  1. the local Automation Agent MCP server is available
  2. Codex has an MCP server entry for Automation Agent
  3. the Automation Agent Codex skill is installed

Starting MCP alone is not enough. Without the MCP config, Codex cannot reach the local server. Without the skill, Codex can still talk to MCP, but it will usually make weaker assumptions about discovery, validation, and Premiere-specific authoring.

For Codex as Workflow AI, these things need to be true:

  1. a runnable Codex CLI executable is available
  2. Codex CLI is authenticated with codex login
  3. Automation Agent has a saved Codex CLI Workflow AI provider profile
  4. the provider test passes in AI Setup

Best Setup Path​

The easiest setup path is from inside the Automation Agent panel:

  1. open AI Setup
  2. click Start Guided Setup
  3. choose OpenAI / ChatGPT
  4. follow the Codex Assistant and Codex Workflow AI steps

The manual setup path is:

  1. open the MCP Server tab
  2. start or connect MCP
  3. open the Agent Setup section
  4. use Configure MCP
  5. use Install Codex Skill
  6. restart the ChatGPT desktop app and select Codex
  7. return to the panel and verify the status

For Workflow AI, use AI Setup > Workflow AI or Advanced Provider Setup:

  1. find or select the Codex CLI executable
  2. run codex login if Codex CLI is not authenticated yet
  3. use Test & Save

Important:

  • use the panel in Codex / Claude Code mode
  • that mode uses the panel-managed HTTP MCP server
  • this is different from Claude Desktop Chat, which uses a client-launched local stdio runtime

Where The MCP Config Lives​

Codex MCP configuration is stored in:

~/.codex/config.toml

The relevant Automation Agent entry looks like:

[mcp_servers.automation_agent]
url = "http://127.0.0.1:53125/mcp"

Older Automation Agent versions used the alias automation_blocks. The panel continues to recognize it, but Update migrates it to automation_agent and removes the old entry so Codex does not show two servers.

What The Installer Writes​

The Codex skill is installed to:

~/.codex/skills/automation-agent/

That folder should contain:

  • SKILL.md
  • agents/openai.yaml
  • references/...

If The ChatGPT Desktop App Was Already Open​

Restart the ChatGPT desktop app after installing or updating the MCP config or skill, then select Codex again. Otherwise Codex may continue using the previous state.

As a manual smoke test, enter /mcp in Codex. It should list automation_agent. Then ask Codex to list the available Automation Agent tools and summarize the current Premiere project without changing it.

If /mcp is unavailable, check that you selected Codex, not the separate ChatGPT surface.

Workflow AI Notes​

Codex Workflow AI is used by saved workflows, not by the live chat session itself.

For example, a saved workflow might use Premiere and Automation Agent blocks to collect transcript text, then call Codex CLI only for a bounded reasoning step such as summarizing, classifying, proofreading, or returning structured text.

If a provider test fails, check:

  • the selected executable path
  • that codex login has completed
  • whether Codex can be run from the same user account that runs Automation Agent

If The Panel Says The Packaged Skill Is Missing​

That usually means the current plugin build does not include the generated Codex skill export yet.

In development, rebuild the product assets and the plugin package, then reopen the panel.