Codex can keep working without another “keep going”

An AI assistant investigates a bug, finds a clue, then stops with a polite progress report. The bug is still there. Apparently, your job is now to press the imaginary “please continue” button.

Goal mode in Codex addresses that pause. Codex, OpenAI’s coding agent, stores an objective in the conversation. After a turn ends, it can check whether the objective is met and automatically continue if work remains and the budget allows.

That matters when the next move depends on the last discovery. A slow app might need an investigation, a code change, then a fresh speed test. If the change barely helps, Codex can use that result to choose its next attempt.

The useful detail is a finish line it can check. “Faster” is vague. A defined speed target, with existing tests still passing, gives it evidence of success. That requires access to the relevant project and tests.

Users can pause or clear the goal. A blocker or budget limit can also stop progress.

The human’s job shifts toward defining what “finished” means. The imaginary button gets a quieter afternoon.