OpenAI Snaps Up Python Toolmaker Astral to Supercharge Codex
OpenAI is acquiring Astral, a startup behind popular Python developer tools, folding its team into the fast-growing Codex platform.
OpenAI just made another acquisition play. The company has agreed to buy Astral, a startup that builds Python tools for developers. The plan: absorb Astral's team directly into Codex, OpenAI's coding product.
The numbers tell the story. Codex now boasts more than 2 million users — a 3x jump since January. That kind of growth apparently justified going shopping for developer tooling talent.
Astral's Python expertise slots neatly into OpenAI's broader push to dominate AI-assisted coding. By bringing dedicated dev tool builders in-house, OpenAI is betting it can accelerate Codex development faster than building from scratch.
This marks yet another acquisition for the ChatGPT maker as it continues stacking capabilities across its product lineup. For Python developers already using Astral's tools, the big question is what integration looks like under the OpenAI umbrella.