OpenAI has purchased Ona, the firm formerly operating as Gitpod, as part of its push into enterprise solutions. The transaction, revealed on Thursday, integrates Ona’s secure cloud platform with Codex, OpenAI’s coding agent. Financial details remain private.

Codex continues its rapid expansion. OpenAI reports weekly usage exceeding 5 million individuals, marking a 400 percent increase from the start of the year. AI coding agents have become widely adopted, evidenced by one startup in the vibe-coding space achieving $500m in revenue. The duration of tasks handled by Codex has extended from brief periods to spans of hours or days.

Reasons Behind the Acquisition and Benefits Gained

Extended operations require dedicated runtime environments. Ona offers secure, ongoing cloud setups that permit agents to continue functioning even after developers shut down their devices. Activities such as updating codebases or addressing vulnerability patterns persist beyond user sessions.

The primary advantage lies in oversight rather than mere performance. Ona’s approach of customer-controlled execution enables agents to function within an organization’s private cloud. OpenAI provides the AI capabilities while customers retain authority over data, access keys, and logging records.

This strategy targets cautious IT teams with a focus on reliability. “Agents require more than smart algorithms; they demand a secure operational space,” noted Ona co-founder and CEO Johannes Landgraf.

Integration of a European Company

Ona has a history. Originally Gitpod, a developer tools firm from Germany that shifted coding tasks to cloud-based systems, it claims to have supported 2 million developers.

The company adopted the Ona name in late 2025 and refocused on AI agents. It now becomes part of a major US entity. “I once believed selling would mark a conclusion,” Landgraf shared on LinkedIn. “Yet it feels as though our efforts have expanded significantly.”

Competition with Anthropic

This represents a push for enterprise dominance. OpenAI competes with Anthropic, whose Claude Code contributed to substantial growth over the past year. Both aim to secure the role of trusted agent for major corporations managing production environments.

The schedule carries significance. OpenAI submitted confidential IPO filings on Monday, shortly after Anthropic. Both companies highlight AI risks while pursuing public listings. Codex earnings and business credibility bolster the narrative for investors.

Ona forms part of a series of acquisitions. OpenAI recently acquired Promptfoo, a cybersecurity firm, and last year obtained Jony Ive’s hardware startup io valued at $6bn. Each addresses specific needs. This purchase fills the critical requirement for agent deployment in secure customer environments.

Regulatory clearance is still required for the deal. The entities remain independent until completion. However, the intent is evident. OpenAI seeks to position Codex in all critical operational contexts and has acquired the necessary infrastructure to achieve this.