In today’s digital workspace, the dispersion of work across numerous apps and tabs has become a prevalent issue. According to a blog post published by the Dropbox Team earlier today (21 June 2021), knowledge workers reportedly spend an estimated 8.8 hours per week merely searching for files and content, a situation often dubbed as “work about work.” To address this issue, Dropbox has launched an AI-powered universal search tool named Dropbox Dash.
Dropbox Dash is designed to amalgamate all your tools, content, and apps into a single search bar, offering connectors to major platforms such as Google Workspace, Microsoft Outlook, and Salesforce. This tool aims to reduce the need for switching between apps to share content or locate a document shared by a colleague, thereby potentially increasing productivity.
A notable feature of Dash is its machine-learning capabilities. As per Dropbox, the tool is designed to learn and enhance its performance over time, potentially improving search efficiency and accuracy as it is used more frequently.
Dropbox Dash includes features such as ‘Stacks’ and a ‘Start Page.’ ‘Stacks’ are collections for your links, offering a method to save, organize, and retrieve URLs. The ‘Start Page’ dashboard allows users to access Dash’s universal search, view Stacks, access shortcuts to recent work, and initiate meetings.
In conjunction with the launch of Dropbox Dash, Dropbox has also announced Dropbox Ventures, a $50M venture initiative. This initiative aims to support the next generation of AI startups by offering financial support and mentorship to those focused on developing new AI-powered products.
Dropbox has also reiterated its commitment to trust and transparency by highlighting its AI Principles. These principles guide the development of AI products and features, focusing on protecting customers’ privacy, acting transparently, and limiting bias.
To learn more about Dash and join the waitlist, visit dropbox.com/dash.
Alongside Dropbox Dash, the company unveiled another AI-powered tool called Dropbox AI. This innovative tool leverages artificial intelligence to provide quick and efficient previews of large files. Whether you’re dealing with extensive documents or lengthy videos, Dropbox AI can distill the content into a succinct summary at the click of a button.
Moreover, it offers the ability to pose questions about your files and receive immediate responses, bypassing manual searches. In its alpha stage, Dropbox AI is being made available to Dropbox Pro customers in the U.S., with plans for a phased rollout to selected Dropbox Teams for further testing.
Featured Image Credit: Dropbox
