I let Codex use my computer. Here’s what it can actually do.
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. *What you’ll learn:* 1. How browser use and computer use work, and why the Codex desktop app plus Chrome extension is the combo I rely on 2. How I use Codex to QA my onboarding flow, including exhaustive mobile testing I would never do manually 3. Why under-prompting frontier models gets better results than detailed step-by-step instructions 4. How my husband EJ Lawless’s persona-impersonation trick surfaces friction points I can’t see as the builder 5. How I use browser use to get through my LinkedIn inbox without touching it myself 6. How I had Codex shop Free People’s sale and add 10 medium items to my cart (breastfeeding-friendly and Hawaii-ready) 7. How computer use can control iPhone mirroring so your Mac can technically operate your phone 8. Three more computer-use shortcuts: filling annoying forms, creating Google Sheets mid-workflow, and managing router *Brought to you by:* Runway—The creative AI platform for images, video and more: https://runwayml.com/howIAI Hyperagent—Deploy fleets of agents that handle real work: https://www.hyperagent.com/howiai *In this episode, we cover:* (00:00) Intro (01:46) What browser use and computer use actually are (03:08) Why I use Codex specifically and how the desktop app plus Chrome extension works (04:15) Use case 1: QA testing my onboarding flow (10:41) Results: 11 issues, one high-severity blocker, one Google Sheet with screenshots (12:10) Use case 2: persona testing (18:20) Use case 3: LinkedIn inbox, hands-free (20:37) Use case 4: AI personal shopper (23:47) Rapid-fire uses: forms, iPhone mirroring, router access from out of state, Google Docs (26:50) Wrap-up *Blog and detailed workflow walkthroughs from this episode:* How I AI: 4 Hands-Free Workflows Using Codex Browser Automation: https://www.chatprd.ai/how-i-ai/4-hands-free-workflows-using-codex-browser-automation ↳ Automate LinkedIn Inbox Triage with AI Browser Automation: https://www.chatprd.ai/how-i-ai/workflows/automate-linkedin-inbox-triage-with-ai-browser-automation ↳ Conduct AI-Powered User Research by Impersonating Personas: https://www.chatprd.ai/how-i-ai/workflows/conduct-ai-powered-user-research-by-impersonating-personas ↳ Automate Web App QA Testing with AI Browser Automation: https://www.chatprd.ai/how-i-ai/workflows/automate-web-app-qa-testing-with-ai-browser-automation *Tools referenced:* • Codex (ChatGPT desktop app): https://openai.com/codex • Claude desktop app: https://claude.ai/download • Monologue (voice dictation for AI): https://monologue.app • iPhone mirroring (Apple): https://support.apple.com/en-us/111775 • Google Sheets: https://sheets.google.com *Other references:* • Jesse Genet episode (How I AI): https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/5-openclaw-agents-run-my-home-finances?utm_source=publication-search *Where to find Claire Vo:* ChatPRD: https://www.chatprd.ai/ Website: https://clairevo.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/clairevo/ X: https://x.com/clairevo _Production and marketing by https://penname.co/._ _For inquiries about sponsoring the podcast, email jordan@penname.co._
