OpenAI has announced plans to acquire Ona, a cloud infrastructure startup that specializes in secure execution environments. This will give AI agents the ability to continue working long after users close their laptops. So while OpenAI is rapidly improving the intelligence capabilities of its Codex tool, this deal is more about the space where those agents execute tasks.
OpenAI has announced plans to acquire Ona, a cloud infrastructure startup that specializes in secure execution environments. This will give AI agents the ability to continue working long after users close their laptops. So while OpenAI is rapidly improving the intelligence capabilities of its Codex tool, this deal is more about the space where those agents execute tasks.
OpenAI believes that the next generation of AI agents will be able to complete projects that last for hours or even days. Instead of being limited to a single device or browser session, these agents need a secure place to work continuously autonomously, writes Windows Report.
That’s where Ona comes in. The startup has been building cloud development environments for years and has helped over two million developers work in secure and reproducible cloud workspaces. OpenAI plans to use this technology to allow Codex to continue to function in customer-controlled cloud environments, even when users are offline.
The deal also underscores OpenAI’s increased focus on large organizations and the enterprise sector. Rather than forcing companies to move sensitive workflows to systems controlled by OpenAI, Ona’s infrastructure allows AI agents to run within the customer’s own cloud environment. This means organizations can fully control data access, security policies, credentials, logging, and compliance requirements, while still taking advantage of all the benefits of Codex.
OpenAI says the long-term goal is to help large enterprises implement AI agents in real-world workflows, such as software testing, application modernization, vulnerability management, incident resolution, and other complex tasks that require long-term, continuous execution.
The merger and acquisition agreement is still pending regulatory approval. Upon completion, the Ona team will join OpenAI and work directly with the Codex division as the company takes the next major step in developing AI infrastructure for the enterprise sector.
