Automatic cost-aware model routing in Codex

What variant of Codex are you using?

Codex desktop app

What feature would you like to see?

Please add an Automatic model/reasoning mode that chooses the least-expensive capable option per task or turn, escalating only when the task actually requires more capability or reasoning.

Today, users have to manually choose among Terra, Sol, Astra, and multiple reasoning levels. For typical mobile development across an iOS app and Firebase, it is difficult to predict when a task needs Terra Medium, Terra High, or Sol High. Leaving a higher setting enabled can consume usage quickly even for routine work.

The automatic mode should make a sensible default choice, escalate when it encounters ambiguity, cross-system work, auth/data risk, or repeated failure, and ideally show a brief indication of what it chose and why.

Additional information

I recently moved from a Claude 5x plan to Codex and strongly prefer Codex's overall agent experience. In Claude I rarely had to think about model selection or watch usage get consumed this quickly.

A cost-aware automatic mode would make Codex much easier to adopt as a daily programming agent: let the system manage the model/reasoning tradeoff while users stay focused on the work.

The issue names no files, tests, or entry points. Start by locating where the Codex desktop app selects Terra, Sol, and Astra models and reasoning levels, then trace the available task context for ambiguity, cross-system work, risk, and repeated failure. Done means automatic mode chooses a capable low-cost option, escalates when needed, and briefly indicates its choice and reason.