Rohit Patel, a key figure in Meta’s AI development for eight years and former head of the company’s Superintelligence Lab, has departed to launch his own venture, Ndoc.
Ndoc aims to create a native AI-powered office suite that could potentially challenge established giants like Microsoft Office and Google Workspace. Patel’s vision goes beyond simply integrating AI as an add-on; he intends to fundamentally change how users interact with various productivity tools.
The current workflow often involves constant switching between applications such as Excel, Word, PowerPoint, and data analysis tools like Tableau. Users frequently resort to copy-pasting information into AI chatbots like ChatGPT to process and generate insights. Ndoc seeks to eliminate this fragmentation by consolidating these diverse workflows into a single, unified space designed for effortless productivity.
Key Features of Ndoc
Ndoc is structured around three core modules, all accessible within a single interface:
- Stage: This module is dedicated to presenting key content. It supports functionalities like slideshows, dashboards, simulation results, and mini-applications, providing a dynamic space for showcasing information.
- Narrative: Focused on analytical content, this module can generate explanations for data, create numbered citations, produce charts, and elaborate on the underlying reasons behind data findings.
- Model: This is where the foundational elements reside, including underlying datasets and Python scripts, allowing for deep data manipulation and analysis.
In practice, users can upload datasets to Ndoc for analysis. The platform will then generate explanatory text based on the results. Patel envisions Ndoc redefining the concept of a ‘document’ itself. The software will allow documents to be exported as standalone ‘.ndoc.html’ files, which can then be opened in any web browser.
Furthermore, Patel has aspirations to make this unique document format open-source, enabling other developers to build upon and integrate with it. This move could foster a new ecosystem around AI-native document creation.
A Growing Trend of Departures
Patel’s departure from Meta is part of a recent wave of high-profile exits from the company’s AI and leadership teams. Notable figures who have recently left Meta include Joel Kaplan, Global Affairs lead; AI researcher Andrew Tulloch; and Emily Dalton Smith, who led AI products for the company’s work-focused scenarios.
With Ndoc, Rohit Patel aims to leverage his extensive AI experience from Meta to create a more integrated and intuitive approach to digital productivity, potentially reshaping the landscape of office software.
