Dropbox has launched tools for its cloud-storage product that integrate artificial intelligence (AI) to make searching across the platform and web a little easier, the company said.

The tool, Dash, works as a browser extension and desktop app. The company describes the tool as an AI-powered universal search tool that can scan files across its platform and across the web. The tool is available in beta, but only available in English to select customers.

“What used to be 100 files of icons on your desktop is now 100 tabs in your browser, with your Google Docs and your Airtables and Figmas and everything else,” Dropbox CEO Drew Houston told The Verge. “So, you’re just like, okay, i think someone sent that to me. Was it in an email? Was it Slack? Was it a text? Maybe it was pasted in the Zoom chat during the meeting?”

The company developed the tools based on the technology from Command E, acquired in 2021. It organizes more than files and folders, but also personal files from across the web, such as Google Docs and Sheets, Airtable, Figma, and others.

When the tool pulls together similar documents that someone has been working on recently, it puts them in what Dropbox calls a Stack.

Users can create their own Stacks. As someone creates files or browses the internet looking for things, Dash will suggest files and links that the person might want to add. 

Dropbox’s second feature, Dropbox AI, which is available to all Pro customers, is being applied to file previews to help users understand the content and ask questions to get the information needed. This remains in early testing. 

The plan is to add generative AI (GAI) to the tool to allow customers to interact with knowledge stored in numerous locations without having to open files.

Dropbox has launched tools for its cloud-storage product that integrate AI to make searching across the platform and web a little easier, the company said.