Engineering articles from Dropbox
AI summaries and key learnings from Dropbox engineering teams.
Using LLMs to amplify human labeling and improve Dash search relevance
The article outlines how Dropbox Dash utilizes a retrieval-augmented generation (RAG) approach to enhance search relevance by integrating large language models (LLMs) with human labeling. It explains...
How low-bit inference enables efficient AI
The article discusses the advancements in large machine learning models and the challenges associated with their deployment, particularly focusing on low-bit inference techniques that enhance...
Insights from our executive roundtable on AI and engineering productivity
The article provides insights into Dropbox's approach to enhancing engineering productivity through the adoption of AI tools. It highlights the importance of aligning AI initiatives with business...
Engineering VP Josh Clemm on how we use knowledge graphs, MCP, and DSPy in Dash
In this article, Josh Clemm discusses the technical architecture behind Dropbox Dash, focusing on the integration of knowledge graphs, retrieval methods, and the use of large language models (LLMs)....
Inside the feature store powering real-time AI in Dropbox Dash
The article delves into the implementation of a feature store that powers the AI-driven Dropbox Dash, focusing on how it manages and delivers data signals for effective ranking and retrieval of...
Building the future: highlights from Dropbox’s 2025 summer intern class
The article highlights the contributions of Dropbox interns during the 2025 summer program, showcasing a variety of technical projects that leverage AI and enhance system performance. Interns worked...
Building Dash: How RAG and AI agents help us meet the needs of businesses
The article outlines the challenges faced in building Dropbox Dash, a universal search and knowledge management tool designed for knowledge workers. It highlights issues such as data diversity,...
How we brought multimedia search to Dropbox Dash
The article discusses the engineering challenges and solutions for implementing multimedia search in Dropbox Dash, focusing on the need for advanced indexing and ranking systems to handle images,...
Seventh-generation server hardware at Dropbox: our most efficient and capable architecture yet
Dropbox has unveiled its seventh-generation server hardware, marking a significant evolution in its infrastructure to support its growing product and user base. This new architecture incorporates...
Making file encryption fast and secure for teams with advanced key management
The article outlines Dropbox's development of an advanced key management solution aimed at enhancing file encryption for teams, particularly in sensitive sectors such as finance and healthcare. It...
Driving AI adoption at Dropbox: a conversation with CTO Ali Dasdan
The article presents an in-depth conversation with Dropbox's CTO Ali Dasdan and Senior Director of Engineering Productivity Uma Namasivayam about the company's journey in adopting AI tools to enhance...
Hack Week 2025: How these engineers liquid-cooled a GPU server
The article details a project undertaken during Hack Week 2025 at Dropbox, where engineers developed a custom liquid cooling system for GPU servers to address the increasing thermal demands of AI...
A practical blueprint for evaluating conversational AI at scale
The article outlines a structured approach to evaluating conversational AI systems, particularly large language models (LLMs). It emphasizes the importance of rigorous evaluation processes that...
Half-Quadratic Quantization of large machine learning models
The article introduces Half-Quadratic Quantization (HQQ), a novel quantization technique aimed at optimizing large language models (LLMs) for deployment on consumer-grade hardware. HQQ is designed to...
With Mobius Labs' Aana models, we're bringing deeper multimodal understanding to Dropbox Dash
The article outlines how Dropbox Dash utilizes Mobius Labs' Aana models to enhance multimodal understanding across various content types, including text, images, audio, and video. Aana's architecture...
How Dash uses context engineering for smarter AI
The article explores the evolution of Dropbox's Dash from a traditional retrieval-based system to an agentic AI capable of interpreting and acting on user requests. It introduces the concept of...