OpenAI acquired German startup Ona to better handle growing demand for Codex, its coding tool. Ona, based in the German city of Kiel and formerly known as Gitpod, has built a platform that enables agents to perform tasks over a lengthy period of time in a cloud environment. That approach differs from agent setups that are often restricted to operating only when a developer’s workstation is on.
The need for agents that are constantly working has arisen from the growth of Codex, which OpenAI says is now being used by more than five million people every week. OpenAI said people should be able to delegate more ambitious work without remaining tied to the machine where it began. Codex is intended to let users stay connected, check progress, provide direction, make decisions and review results from anywhere.
Ona’s technology is expected to support that model and let more organizations deploy agents, according to OpenAI. The platform also promises quicker task execution through greater access to cloud resources, along with improved security. OpenAI did not disclose financial details of the acquisition, which is subject to relevant regulatory approvals.
The companies will continue to work as separate entities until completion, upon which the Ona team, which according to its profile on LinkedIn numbers around 80, will join OpenAI and work on Codex. The move is part of OpenAI’s effort to keep pace with Anthropic and its Claude Code agent in the Artificial Intelligence coding market. The arrival of Ona marks OpenAI’s second significant acquisition in a matter of months following its March deal for Promptfoo, an Artificial Intelligence security platform for enterprises, as it gears up for a long-awaited IPO.
