Dropbox has launched an AI-powered universal search tool named Dash for Business, aimed at streamlining workflow for Australian companies.
The new search tool is designed to address the issue of 'missing files', enabling businesses to efficiently organise, share, and secure information. Dropbox research has indicated that knowledge workers spend an average of 127 hours annually regaining lost focus due to distractions from emails, meetings, and other interruptions. Furthermore, 69% of these workers spend up to an hour daily switching between applications to complete tasks.
Drew Houston, Co-founder and CEO of Dropbox, commented on the initiative, "I first launched Dropbox because we all needed a better way to find and access our content, no matter what device or platform it lived on. Today, we're solving the 2024 version of that problem: our content is scattered everywhere and it's hard to find the thing you need to get your work done. Dash solves that problem by helping teams find information quickly, remove friction from their day, and keep sensitive information protected. We can't wait for customers to give it a try."
Dash for Business facilitates a centralised approach by connecting with various work applications, thus allowing information to be found with ease. This tool addresses the prevalent need for a cohesive search ability as information is often dispersed across emails, team drives, and cloud apps. Dash provides content access and permission controls to ensure that company content remains secure and accessible only to authorised personnel.
An AI-powered universal search capability is among the key features of Dash. According to Dropbox, this feature assists businesses by amalgamating search results from diverse storage solutions such as Google Drive, OneDrive, Notion, and Asana. The tool employs machine intelligence for enhanced search accuracy, delivering real-time answers and summarised content.
Dan Keyworth, Director of Business Technology at McLaren Racing, remarked on the benefits his team has experienced, "Dash has been a game-changer for us because it doesn't lock us into a single ecosystem. Instead, it seamlessly connects the various apps and tools our team relies on, centralizing all that information in one place. For a team always seeking improvements, the ability to bring everything together has been valuable."
Security remains a priority with Dash for Business, which includes advanced content access controls built from Dropbox's acquisition of Nira, a content governance platform. This feature ensures only authorised access to sensitive information thereby enhancing the security infrastructure of organisations.
Keyworth added, "Dash provides critical visibility into where outdated permissions may have access to sensitive data. This insight is essential for safeguarding intellectual property, including data, creative campaigns, and commercial assets, allowing us to enhance our security and maintain tighter control over our most valuable information."
Further improvements in transparency regarding the use of company content with AI are also included. Dropbox emphasises that Dash for Business operates with self-hosted AI as a default, keeping customer data within Dropbox's own secure environment.
Additional features of Dash for Business comprise an updated user interface intended to streamline and integrate daily work activities, such as a specialised activity feed and advanced sharing permissions. Dash is currently available in the United States in English, with plans for a broader release in early 2025.
