AINov 2, 2026, 11:00 PM UTC·1 min read

ChatGPT Desktop App Tests Merged Chat and Work Tabs

OpenAI is testing a ChatGPT desktop app that merges the Chat and Work tabs into one space, a move similar to Anthropic's recent change in Claude.

ChatGPT desktop app window showing a single unified interface that combines the Chat and Work tabs — Image: Hipertextual

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OpenAI has started testing a simplified version of the ChatGPT desktop app that merges the Chat and Work tabs into a single space. The company is rolling out the change to a small group of users on its desktop clients.

Codex, OpenAI's AI programming tool, will stay separate. The goal of the test is to collect user feedback before a wider rollout to people worldwide. OpenAI has not said when that rollout could happen.

One interface, no manual switching

Once the tabs are combined, users will no longer have to choose which section of the app to use. ChatGPT will determine which functions it needs based on the question or task it receives.

Anthropic took a similar path recently. In September, Claude merged its chat window with Cowork, giving users access to artifacts and Claude Design from one simplified interface, so they no longer have to guess which section will give the best results. Claude Code remains a separate product there as well.

A catch for heavy users

The change also has consequences for usage limits. According to OpenAI, tokens for ChatGPT and Codex will be shared from now on. People who rely on Codex for programming and also use more tokens than usual in the unified Chat/Work experience may find their ChatGPT limits run out faster.

OpenAI says the modification will not alter the experience for most users. Those who use the AI intensively are the ones most likely to notice the difference.

The test shows the major AI assistants converging on a single entry point that handles both conversation and task-oriented work, with coding tools kept apart. How the shared token pool plays out for heavy users is likely to shape the feedback OpenAI gets before a full launch.