Stack by Google Area 120: Digitize & Organize Documents

Introducing Stack: Google's New Document Digitization App

Area 120, Google’s internal incubator, has recently launched Stack, a new application designed to simplify document management. This tool enables users to easily digitize physical papers, such as receipts and important documents, and securely store them within Google Drive.

How Stack Works

Stack utilizes artificial intelligence to not only scan and convert documents into PDFs, but also to intelligently suggest appropriate file names and categorize them. This automated organization streamlines the process of keeping important information readily accessible.

The application is capable of handling documents of varying sizes, including bills, receipts, and identification cards.

The Origins of Stack

The development of Stack is credited to Christopher Pedregal, previously a co-founder of the educational technology company Socratic, which Google acquired in 2018.

Pedregal leveraged his experience with Google’s computer vision and language understanding technologies – initially applied to enhance learning for students – to envision a solution for better document organization.

He collaborated with Matthew Cowan, with whom he had previously worked on DocAI, a Google Cloud team focused on developing AI for document analysis.

From Enterprise to Personal Use

The team recognized the potential to adapt DocAI’s advanced enterprise technology for personal document management, ultimately leading to the creation of Stack.

Key Features and Functionality

Currently available for Android devices, Stack allows users to photograph documents, automatically naming and categorizing them. Categories include Bills, Banking, House, IDs, and more.

The app supports multi-page documents and performs Optical Character Recognition (OCR) on all pages, making the full text searchable.

Users can also mark important scans with a star for quick retrieval.

Intelligent Information Extraction

While document scanning apps are not new – Microsoft Office Lens is a notable example – Stack distinguishes itself by identifying and extracting key information from within documents.

For instance, it can pinpoint due dates on bills, total amounts due, and account numbers, making this data easily searchable.

Beyond title-based searches, users can search the complete text of their documents to locate specific information.

Security and Integration

Stack prioritizes security, offering document protection via fingerprint or facial recognition, mirroring Google Drive’s security features.

Automatic synchronization with Google Drive ensures that all scans are securely backed up and accessible across devices.

Availability and Future Plans

The Stack app is currently available as a free download on Android, with no in-app purchases.

Google will evaluate user feedback to determine potential expansion to other platforms, such as iOS.