I thought OpenAI’s ecosystem couldn’t get any worse.

I was wrong.

Codex is now the ChatGPT app.

But wait…
The “normal” ChatGPT desktop app still exists.
It's been renamed to ChatGPT “Classic”.

But wait…
Inside the new ChatGPT app, I can choose between:
• ChatGPT Work
• Codex
What's the difference??

But wait…
Inside both ChatGPT Work and Codex, I can access my existing ChatGPT web conversations and continue them in a smaller side panel.

But wait…
ChatGPT Work is also available on the web.
There, I can choose between Work and “normal” ChatGPT.
What's the difference?

But wait…
When I start a new chat from the desktop app side panel, is it a GPT Work chat or a "normal" chat?
Then, I can even integrate a web conversation into an "offline" Codex chat.

As if this wasn't confusing enough,
GPT 5.6 Sol has a Max effort that is not the actual max effort. Ultra is more max than Max 😅.
I'm a Pro subscriber, but the Pro model is only available in "Chat" mode, not in ChatGPT Work.
I guess in "Work" mode Ultra replaces Pro?

Honestly,
what a mess!! 🤣

I can see only one possible rationale.
OpenAI may be trying to separate casual consumer use from more advanced, work-oriented use.

"Classic" stays free or inexpensive.
Work eventually becomes usage-based, more like Codex.

Strategically, it might make sense.
But the current product experience is a total disaster.

Same account, same conversations,
but different interfaces, different names, different models.

Same features? not clear.

Same billing, but different limits logic.

OpenAI, I've been a loyal paying subscriber since early 2023, now send a product manager into the comments to explain this!