How ChatGPT dots works with Chat, Work and Codex
How a ChatGPT dot starts work in Codex, continues existing threads, uses ChatGPT and Codex context, and reviews or edits Scheduled Tasks in ChatGPT Work.
Last verified: October 10, 2026. This independent guide describes OpenAI’s published capabilities and the October 9 update. It is not a first-hand Codex or Scheduled Tasks test.
How Chat, Work and Codex fit together
OpenAI’s ChatGPT Work and Codex guidance describes Chat as conversational assistance, Work as an agent for longer tasks and finished deliverables, and Codex as focused on software development and technical work.
A dot can take ongoing responsibility between conversations and delegate parts of a request to Work or Codex, according to OpenAI’s setup guidance. These roles help explain the connections; they do not rank the products.
What’s new with Codex (Oct 2026)
The October 9 ChatGPT Learn update describes three changes:
Start work in Codex
From the October 9 update:
Your dot can start work in Codex and follow up on existing threads.
You can ask your dot to start coding work in Codex. Specify the task, relevant context, and the result you want to review.
Follow up on existing threads
The same update says:
It’s also better at deciding when to continue an existing Codex thread and when to start a new one
Your dot can follow up on work you already started. Tell it which existing thread and remaining work you mean.
Shared context
The update also says:
It can search across your ChatGPT conversations and use context from your existing Codex threads and automations.
That context can help connect your request to earlier conversations, coding threads, and automations.
Review and edit Scheduled Tasks in ChatGPT Work
ChatGPT Learn says:
Your dot can read and edit ChatGPT Work automations, too.
The OpenAI Community announcement describes Scheduled Tasks specifically:
Your dot can also review and edit Scheduled Tasks in ChatGPT Work
For example, you could ask your dot to review the Scheduled Task for your weekly briefing and explain what it does. You could also ask it to change that task’s schedule or revise its instructions. These are example user requests, not verified interface steps or a guarantee that every requested edit will succeed.
What still needs your computer
Local Codex tasks run on your connected computer. For those tasks, local files, and local apps, the computer must be online with the ChatGPT app open, as described in Meet dots.
The Codex Cloud environment guide explains the cloud-computer and permission boundaries. You can create a dot on mobile, while the requirements for work on your own computer still apply.
Usage and approvals
Tasks your dot starts or manages in Work or Codex count toward those products’ usage limits, according to OpenAI’s access guidance. Check pricing and availability and approval controls before expanding a workflow.
FAQ
Can my dot start a Codex task?
Yes. The October 9 update says your dot can start work in Codex. Local Codex tasks still require the connected computer to be online with the ChatGPT app open.
Can it continue a Codex thread I already started?
Yes. Your dot can follow up on existing Codex threads and use their context. The October update also describes better decisions about continuing an existing thread or starting a new one.
Can my dot change my scheduled tasks?
Yes. OpenAI says your dot can review and edit Scheduled Tasks in ChatGPT Work. ChatGPT Learn also describes reading and editing ChatGPT Work automations.