OpenAI Merges ChatGPT Into Desktop Superapp, Plans AI Research Intern by September

Quick Facts

• OpenAI will merge ChatGPT, Atlas browser, and Codex programming assistant into a single desktop superapp
• AI research intern tool will launch by September 2026, capable of completing multi-day research tasks
• OpenAI revenue hit $29.4 billion in 2026, up from $12.7 billion in 2025

OpenAI confirmed March 20 it will combine three separate tools into one desktop application. The superapp will merge ChatGPT with the Atlas browser and Codex programming assistant.

The company may eliminate the standalone Codex desktop client that launched last month. Codex reached over two million weekly active users in March.

“We realized we were spreading our efforts across too many apps and stacks, and that we need to simplify our efforts,” said Fidji Simo, OpenAI’s chief executive officer of applications. “That fragmentation has been slowing us down and making it harder to hit the quality bar we want.”

The consolidation comes as OpenAI faces rising competition from Anthropic. Executives hope the unified app will streamline resources and counter rivals like Claude Code, which has gained traction among developers.

AI Research Intern Details

OpenAI plans to launch an AI research intern tool by September 2026. The system will handle tasks that typically take researchers several days to complete.

“What we’re really looking at for an automated research intern is a system that you can delegate tasks [to] that would take a person a few days,” said Jakub Pachocki, OpenAI executive.

The research tool will run on hundreds of thousands of GPUs and accelerators. CEO Sam Altman called the scale necessary for systems that contribute to scientific progress rather than just assist with routine tasks.

By March 2028, OpenAI expects to deploy a full AI researcher capable of independent scientific research projects. “In 2026 we expect that our AI systems may be able to make small new discoveries; in 2028 we could be looking at big ones,” Altman said.

Revenue and Market Impact

OpenAI’s revenue jumped to $29.4 billion in 2026, representing a two-year compound annual growth rate of 182%. The company projects AI agents could generate $29 billion annually by 2029.

High-end AI workers will range from $2,000 monthly for knowledge agents to $20,000 monthly for research agents.

The desktop superapp represents OpenAI’s shift toward agentic AI that performs complex tasks like writing software and analyzing data directly on users’ devices. President Greg Brockman will oversee the product changes while Simo leads sales efforts for the new application.

Read more: OpenAI to launch ChatGPT superapp, ‘AI research intern’