This page may contain stale information. Last updated: 2026-06-12
Definition
Persistent agents are AI systems that continue working across extended time horizons (hours or days) in cloud environments, independent of the user’s local device or active session. They maintain state, access tools, and progress on tasks when laptops are closed.
June 2026 Milestone
openai’s announced acquisition of ona positions codex to move beyond session-based coding toward persistent cloud agent execution with customer-controlled security (2026-06-11-openai-codex-ona-acquisition).
Enterprise Requirements
- Customer-controlled cloud environments
- Credential scoping and activity logging
- Security and governance boundaries
- Progress monitoring from any device
Use Cases
- Running tests and resolving issues over extended periods
- Application modernization and vulnerability remediation
- Complex multi-step software lifecycle workflows