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The Codex Feature That Works While You Sleep

8.5Score
The Codex Feature That Works While You Sleep

TL;DR · AI Summary

Claire Vo introduces a feature called /goal in the Codex AI tool, which allows users to set long-term tasks to run automatically in the background without continuous intervention.

Key Takeaways

  • /goal feature enables users to automate long and complex tasks without needing c
  • By setting goals and using a six-part framework, you can create effective /goal
  • Non-technical users can also leverage the /goal feature for email cleanup and or

Outline

Jump quickly between sections.

  1. §Introduction

    Claire Vo introduces the /goal feature in Codex and its advantages.

  2. ·What is /goal and when should you use it?

    Explains the working principle and usage scenarios of the /goal feature.

  3. ·Difference Between Prompts and Goal-Based Loops

    Compares the /goal feature with standard prompts.

  4. ·Real-Life Case Studies

    Shows three practical applications of the /goal feature.

  5. ·How to Write Effective /goal Prompts

    Introduces the six-component framework for creating effective /goal prompts.

  6. ·Managing the Lifecycle of a Goal

    Explains how to manage and monitor the entire lifecycle of a goal.

Mindmap

See how the topics connect at a glance.

查看大纲文本（无障碍 / 无 JS 友好）
  • Codex 的 /goal 功能
    • 定义与用途
      • 自动化长时间任务
      • 无需持续干预
    • 区别于标准提示
      • 目标循环与提示的区别
    • 实际案例
      • 消除 Sentry 错误
      • 清理邮件
      • 组织项目管理任务
    • 编写有效目标提示
      • 六部分框架
    • 目标生命周期管理
      • 查看
      • 暂停
      • 恢复
      • 清除

Highlights

Key sentences worth saving and sharing.

  • /goal feature enables users to set long-term tasks to run automatically in the background without continuous intervention.

    — Paragraph 2

    ⬇︎ 下载 PNG𝕏 分享到 X
  • By setting goals and using a six-part framework, you can create effective /goal prompts with measurable outcomes and validation methods.

    — Paragraph 5

    ⬇︎ 下载 PNG𝕏 分享到 X
  • Non-technical users can also leverage the /goal feature for email cleanup and organization of project management tasks.

    — Paragraph 6

    ⬇︎ 下载 PNG𝕏 分享到 X
#Codex#AI#Automation#Workflow
Open original article

Codex Goals: How to Turn 4-Hour Tasks into Set-It-And-Forget-It Workflows

Video 4

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Transcript

0:04

Claire Vo

Welcome back to How I AI. I’m Claire Vo, product leader and AI obsessive here on a mission to help you build better with these new tools. Today, I’m going to walk through my favorite feature in my most recent favorite AI product, Goals in Codex.

0:20

If you’ve been wondering how all these people on the timeline are getting their AI to run quote unquote overnight or handle very complex long-running tasks, I’m going to show you that Goals is the answer. We’re going to walk through what it is, how I might use it, and a technical use case, along with some non-technical examples of how Goals can help you even if you’re not coding. Let’s get to it. This episode is brought to you by Mercury, as an AI founder, I’m constantly tracking run rates, watching revenue growth, paying vendors, and making sure I’m getting paid on time. Mercury makes all of it feel effortless. The app is genuinely beautiful; it actually looks and works like modern software, which sounds obvious but apparently isn’t when it comes to banking. What I use it for the most? Bill pay for my vendors is just clean and easy, and wires and transfers getting paid from clients moving money. Mercury makes it so simple; everything you need is right there. No phone calls, no hunting through menus, no wondering if something went through. I think about how much I’ve optimized every other tool in my stack. Mercury is the one where I don’t have to think about it at all; it just works.

The Codex Feature That Works While You Sleep

🎙️I break down the /goal feature in Codex, including a live demo, three real use cases, and the 6-part framework for writing goals that actually run.

Claire Vo

May 27, 2026

Transcript

Video 5

In this 30-minute episode, I walk through my favorite feature in Codex: the /goal command. I show how Goals transform AI from a turn-based assistant that needs constant 'what’s next?' prompting into an autonomous agent that can work for hours on complex, multi-step tasks. I share three real examples: eliminating thousands of Sentry errors, cleaning 3,900 emails down to 68, and organizing hundreds of Linear tasks.

Listen or Watch on [YouTube](https://youtu.be/2wLJl9A2CnA), [Spotify](https://open.spotify.com/show/4aRP2XSavdtrLG5FZoonOK), or [Apple Podcasts](https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/how-i-ai/id1809663079)

What You’ll Learn:

  1. What Goals Are and How They Differ from Standard Prompts
  2. How I Used `/goal` to Eliminate Hundreds of Error Logs in My Codebase Over a Five-Hour Autonomous Run
  3. The Non-Technical Use Cases That Make Goals Incredibly Powerful: Cleaning Up 3,900 Emails in Under Four Hours and Organizing Hundreds of Project Management Tasks in Linear
  4. How to Write Effective `/goal` Prompts with Measurable Outcomes, Verification Methods, and Constraints
  5. When Not to Use Goals and What Makes a Strong Versus Weak Goal
  6. Why Goals Represent a Fundamental Shift in How We Work with AI, from Babysitting the Model to Managing It
  • * *

Brought to You By:

Image 5

[Mercury](https://mercury.com/)—Radically Different Banking Loved by Over 300K Entrepreneurs

In This Episode, We Cover:

(00:00) Introduction

(01:50) What Is /goal and When Should You Use It?

(02:45) The Difference Between Prompts and Goal-Based Loops

(04:06) Claire’s First Five-Hour 45-Minute Autonomous Coding Task

(05:05) How to Manage a Goal Lifecycle: View, Pause, Resume, and Clear

(06:06) How to Write Strong Goals: Outcomes vs. Outputs

(07:34) The Six Components of Effective Goals

(08:57) Example: Reducing P95 Checkout Latency with /goal

(09:36) Demo: Using /goal to Eliminate Sentry Errors in ChatPRD

(13:18) Demo: Burning Down Vercel API Errors

(17:28) Non-Technical Use Case: Cleaning 3,900 Emails with /goal

(21:24) Demo: Using /goal to Clean Up Linear Project Tasks

(24:41) When _Not_ to Use /goal

(26:10) Why /goal Changes Everything

Tools Referenced:

• Codex: https://openai.com/codex/ • Sentry: https://sentry.io/ • Vercel: https://vercel.com/

markdown
• Linear: [https://linear.app/](https://linear.app/)

### Other reference:

• OpenAI blog post “Using Goals in Codex”: [https://developers.openai.com/cookbook/examples/codex/using_goals_in_codex](https://developers.openai.com/cookbook/examples/codex/using_goals_in_codex)

### Where to find Claire Vo:

ChatPRD: [https://www.chatprd.ai/](https://www.chatprd.ai/)

Website: [https://clairevo.com/](https://clairevo.com/)

LinkedIn: [https://www.linkedin.com/in/clairevo/](https://www.linkedin.com/in/clairevo/)

X: [https://x.com/clairevo](https://x.com/clairevo)

Production and marketing by [https://penname.co/](https://penname.co/). For inquiries about sponsoring the podcast, email jordan@penname.co.

#### Discussion about this video

Comments Restacks

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How I AI

How I AI, hosted by Claire Vo, is for anyone curious about how to effectively use these amazing new tools to enhance the quality and productivity of their work. Each episode features guests sharing a specific, practical, and impactful method they've discovered for using AI in their work or personal life. Expect 30-minute episodes, live screen sharing, and tips/tricks/workflows you can apply immediately. If you're eager to understand AI better and acquire the skills needed to succeed in this evolving landscape, this podcast is perfect for you.

How I AI, hosted by Claire Vo, is for anyone curious about how to effectively use these amazing new tools to enhance the quality and productivity of their work. Each episode features guests sharing a specific, practical, and impactful method they've discovered for using AI in their work or personal life. Expect 30-minute episodes, live screen sharing, and tips/tricks/workflows you can apply immediately. If you're eager to understand AI better and acquire the skills needed to succeed in this evolving landscape, this podcast is perfect for you.

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Appears in episode

[Claire Vo](https://substack.com/@clairevo)

Writes [Claire’s Substack](https://clairevo.substack.com/)[Subscribe](https://clairevo.substack.com/subscribe)

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