OpenAI head of product Thibault Sottiaux discusses Codex growth and expansion plans

In an interview on August 25, 2026, OpenAI's head of core products Thibault Sottiaux discussed the launch of ChatGPT Work, a platform bringing autonomous AI agent capabilities to white-collar workers. Integrated into the $20 monthly Plus plan, the tool has already reached 20 million users. Sottiaux highlighted OpenAI's minimal interface philosophy, permanent 80% price cuts via the Luna model, and the expansion of technical Codex capabilities to a broader audience.

ChatGPT Work product launch

• ▪OpenAI launched ChatGPT Work, a platform designed for white-collar workers to leverage autonomous AI agents, as part of the ChatGPT Plus subscription plan.
• ▪OpenAI released an Apple Messages plugin on August 25, 2026, enabling ChatGPT to send text messages on behalf of users.

Codex expansion to broader audiences

• ▪Thibault Sottiaux serves as the lead for core products at OpenAI, overseeing the API, agent infrastructure, enterprise, ChatGPT, and Codex.
• ▪OpenAI is expanding the AI agent capabilities originally developed for technical users in Codex to a broader audience through ChatGPT Work.

Minimal interface design philosophy

• ▪Thibault Sottiaux, OpenAI's head of core products, stated that AI applications should adapt to humans naturally so that users do not have to learn how to use the application.
• ▪OpenAI's product design philosophy for ChatGPT emphasizes a minimal interface and natural interaction methods, such as ChatGPT Voice, to let the model express itself.

User adoption milestones

• ▪Wharton professor Ethan Mollick characterized ChatGPT Work as trying to be magic, contrasting it with Claude Cowork which presents users with more choices.
• ▪OpenAI announced that ChatGPT Work has reached 20 million users since its launch.

Value-based pricing strategy

• ▪OpenAI announced an 80% price reduction with the release of its Luna model as part of an ongoing effort to improve efficiency.
• ▪OpenAI offers ChatGPT Work within its ChatGPT Plus subscription plan, which is priced at $20 per month.

Iterative capability discovery

• ▪OpenAI employs an iterative deployment strategy, discovering model capabilities and refining products based on community feedback and real-world usage.
• ▪OpenAI's GPT-5.6 model introduced enhanced capabilities for professional tasks, including document processing, slide and report generation, and deep research.