A computer is just a collection of folders, a quasi-infinite memory. However this infinite memory representation is completely outdated and is now causing problems and hindering productivity of knowledge workers.

The iPhone and the Web completely changed the way we approach folders and organization on computers. Bookmarks do not live on our desktop or in our documents folder, they are in the browser itself. Pictures are living in the Photos app library. Cloud services are yet another place, removed from the traditional file tree.

The iPad is an awesome device for creative work but it still lacks a true replacement for the desktop. Switching between apps is time consuming and breaks the your focus.

Creative professionals are suffering even more form this, they have to use so many different apps, services and collect so many files that their computers are usually just a pile of assets and media. The need to use them constantly to build other artefacts (presentations, moodboards, memos, videos) makes it even harder to keep track of where things are. One creative director told me once that she used a google slide presentation as her swipe file for marketing campaigns. The problem with this workaround is that it’s impossible to keep track of sources, or in which campaign a precise asset was re-used.

Just as the cloud changed the way we approach apps and software(collaborative by default, online first, infinite compute and storage, multi device) we now need to change the way we think about documents, assets and files.

Kosmik UI acts both as a place to capture and store files but also to organize and display them, essentially erasing the artificial divide created by the file system. Just as you now expect to be able to search by items in your photos library, Kosmik keeps the origin of a file and adds the relevant tags.

We believe this is where user interfaces should move: a magical paper scroll where every asset is augmented in the background by a proactive assistant doing the housekeeping work (where to put this, what is it about, where it is used). We’re only at the beginning of this revolution but when we’ll look back in 5 years it will be obvious that file systems were the battle to won in order to add efficient AI agents and upgrade our professional workflows.

If you're interested in our vision about agents and new interfaces, here's a short video about Kosmik, the living folder for creative work:

Let us know what you think 🌌

Paul