You can now control Google Chrome with OpenAI's Codex: Here's how to set it up

After building a rival AI browser to take on Google Chrome, OpenAI has now added the ability for users to control the popular browser using its Codex AI coding assistant. This is possible with the new Codex assistant extension, which OpenAI has launched for Chrome, that allows users to directly control the browser and interact with websites using a user's logged-in account.

The new feature essentially gives Codex access to Chrome for browser-based tasks like reading emails, updating Salesforce records, interacting with LinkedIn, or accessing internal company tools.

How to set up Codex Chrome extension

• To get started, you will first need to install the Chrome plugin from inside Codex.
• Open the Codex App on your Windows or macOS device.
• Navigate to the “Plugins” section. From there, add the Chrome plugin and follow the setup instructions to install or connect the Chrome extension.
• During the setup, Chrome will ask you to approve a number of permissions required for browser automation.
• Once setup is complete, you will need to open Chrome and confirm that the Codex extension shows a “Connected” status.
• If you also need Codex to upload local files to websites, you can navigate to Manage Extensions > Codex > Details and turn on "Allow access to file URLs".

After the connection is done, Codex will automatically begin suggesting use of Chrome whenever a task requires access to a logged-in website. Users can also manually invoke the feature through prompts like: “@Chrome open Salesforce and update the account from these call notes.”

Another neat feature that OpenAI has added is that Codex tasks are grouped into Chrome tab groups. This means that all your tasks related to the AI assistant will be organised.

What permissions does Codex extension require?

OpenAI has also detailed the permissions its new Codex extension requires in order to operate Chrome. Here are all the permissions required by Codex:

• Reading and changing data across websites
• Accessing browsing history
• Managing downloads
• Reading bookmarks
• Accessing tab groups
• Displaying notifications
• Communicating with native applications

“These Chrome permissions make the extension capable of operating browser workflows. Codex still uses its own confirmations, settings, allowlists, and blocklists before using websites or browser history during a task,” OpenAI said in its blog post.

Is it safe to use Codex extension on Chrome?

OpenAI says it does not store a separate record of your Chrome activity from the extension. However, information can still become part of Codex’s context if the AI reads page text, captures screenshots, or generates summaries during a task.

The company says all standard ChatGPT and Codex data controls apply to the new extension data as well.

“Avoid sending secrets or highly sensitive data through browser tasks unless they’re required and you are present to review each prompt,” OpenAI warns in its blog post.

By default, Codex also asks users for permission before accessing a new website. Users can either allow access for the current chat, permanently allow the host (adding it to an allowlist), or decline the request entirely.