Claire Vo · 2 min read · Productivity
Computer and browser use in Codex (5 real examples)
Read the original on lennysnewsletter.com →
This piece walks through using Codex's browser and computer-use features (via the ChatGPT desktop app and Chrome extension) to automate daily workflows. It shares real-world use cases—from onboarding QA and persona testing to hands-free LinkedIn management and AI-assisted shopping—along with the mental model that makes under-prompting frontier models effective.
Key Takeaways
- Codex's desktop app and Chrome extension enable practical browser and computer control to automate web tasks.
- QA onboarding flow testing yielded actionable results: 11 issues found, one high-severity blocker, and a Google Sheet with screenshots.
- Persona testing leverages a persona-impersonation technique to surface friction points that builders might miss.
- Hands-free workflows include managing LinkedIn inbox and an AI-assisted shopping workflow.
- Practical shortcuts include forms, mid-workflow Google Sheets creation, iPhone mirroring, router access from out of state, and the principle of under-prompting frontier models for better results.
Excerpt
Today I’m walking you through one of my absolute favorite AI features right now: browser and computer use via Codex (the ChatGPT desktop app). I use this every single day, personally and professionally, and I wanted to share the specific workflows I’ve built, the moments that surprised me, and the mental model that makes it actually click. Listen or watch on YouTube , Spotify , or Apple Podcasts What you’ll learn: How browser use and computer use work, and why the Codex desktop app plus Chrome extension is the combo I rely on How I use Codex to QA my…