OpenAI has rolled out a redesigned ChatGPT app for Mac, and the change is drawing sharp criticism. M.G. Siegler writes for Spyglass that the new “Super App” merges ChatGPT with Codex, OpenAI’s coding tool, and defaults to the new “ChatGPT Work” mode instead of the familiar chat interface.
According to Siegler, the app now opens directly into this agentic work option modeled on Anthropic’s Claude Cowork, while plain chat is demoted to a submenu item, below “New task,” “Scheduled” and “Plugins.” Clicking on it opens a small pop-up window rather than the main interface users know from the previous app.
The redesign also switches from a native Mac application to an Electron-based app, which Siegler says feels less responsive than before. Users must manually download the new version, since automatic updates still deliver the previous app for now, unless Codex is already installed.
Other structural changes include a browser feature, inherited from OpenAI’s soon-to-be-discontinued Atlas browser, tucked into a side panel, and a terminal accessible from a bottom panel. Siegler compares the layout to an operating system, listing multiple toggles and settings that make navigation harder for casual users. Model selection has been simplified though: a slider now lets users choose between “Faster” and “Smarter” instead of naming versions.
Siegler warns that these changes could push casual users toward competing assistants, such as Apple’s revamped Siri, especially given how disorienting the new interface feels for people simply looking to chat.
Stay up to date
AI for content creation: the latest tools, tips and trends. Every two weeks in your inbox:
