OpenAI officially entered the hardware market with the launch of Codex Micro, a mechanical keyboard that allows programmers to interact with the company’s AI agent programming platform to manage workflows and execute various functions using physical commands and light signals.
The device is the result of a collaboration with Montreal-based tech company Work Louder and is described by OpenAI as “your control center for autonomous work with agents” as it allows you to monitor their activity in real time without having to keep your eyes glued to a computer or smartphone screen.
Codex Micro is equipped with a set of keys that use a four-colour code to indicate the agents’ status. When they light up green, they indicate that there are unread conversations. If they turn blue, it means the agents are processing an instruction or “thinking”. When they require the user’s approval to perform an action, the keys turn orange, while red indicates that an error occurred during the operation.
In addition, the device features several customisable command keys and a joystick that make it easy to initiate workflows and perform recurring actions within the Codex interface. It also features a dial that allows users to adjust both the time and computational power associated with each agent’s reasoning level, providing greater control over the AI’s token consumption during programming tasks.
The launch price of Codex Micro is $230, and although it is considered the first physical device developed by OpenAI, it is not intended for the general public. Its features were designed to facilitate the work of those who frequently use Codex to develop software with the help of artificial intelligence. Furthermore, this is a limited edition, with only a small number of units set to be manufactured. There are no plans to produce any more once they are sold out.