OpenAI is testing a unified Chat and Work experience in one desktop interface, combining ChatGPT’s conversational features with Work’s task execution to enable end-to-end workflows within a single platform.

This unified experience is intended as the replacement for the Classic desktop app, signaling a shift in how users will access OpenAI tools in the future.

Small-scale testing will initially roll out to a limited group of users, with broader feature rollouts planned for the newer app.

Codex will continue to operate independently within the desktop app while the integrated platform progresses.

The move comes after user criticism of the newer Electron-based Mac app, which had replaced the native macOS version and was deemed confusing.

Classic will continue to receive model updates, bug fixes, and security patches until its end date, and existing Enterprise support will be maintained.

The transition implies future desktop features and agent-led capabilities will default to the newer app, potentially reducing functionality in ChatGPT Classic.

In response to feedback, OpenAI added a Chat and Work toggle and a sidebar menu, though overall updates had been infrequent before the retirement announcement.

Reports from outlets like 9To5Mac and Times Now News indicate the test may begin with a small user group.

OpenAI will discontinue ChatGPT Classic on January 30, 2027, migrating users’ chat histories to the new app while preserving access to previous conversations.

The plan consolidates ChatGPT and Work into a single interface, with users retaining chat history and gaining access to more features on the unified platform.

A shared usage quota will replace separate quotas for ChatGPT and Codex, with consumption scaling by model and task complexity and some unlimited usage not counting against quota.