I’ve been watching the email productivity space for years, and I’ll be honest – most “revolutionary” solutions end up being mere iterations on the same tired concepts. But something interesting caught my attention this week: Cora, a new email platform as a service from Every that’s making some ambitious claims about reimagining our relationship with email entirely. Honestly, between that an SaneBox, my email is really under control now more than ever.
Taking a step back, we need to acknowledge a few key realities about the current email landscape:
- The fundamental email experience hasn’t meaningfully evolved in decades
- We’re drowning in more messages than ever
- Previous attempts at “fixing” email have largely focused on surface-level solutions
What makes Cora intriguing – and I’m approaching this with my usual skepticism – is its apparent ability to fundamentally shift how we interact with our inboxes. The system claims to do something I’ve long thought impossible: actually understand the context and importance of incoming messages without human intervention.
Here’s where things get interesting. Cora isn’t just applying basic filters (we’ve had those for years), but rather seems to be implementing genuine intelligence in email management. Bills, promotional content, newsletters – all supposedly sorted and handled automatically. But I think the real story here isn’t just about organization – it’s about time reclamation.
I’m particularly intrigued by what this means for professional productivity. If Cora can deliver on its promise of contextual intelligence and predictive responses, we’re looking at a fundamental shift in how knowledge workers manage their communications. That said, I have some reservations about how this will play out in practice. AI-powered systems often promise more than they can deliver, and email is notably complex given its central role in both personal and professional life.
The timing of Cora’s emergence is telling. We’re at a unique intersection where:
- AI capabilities have matured significantly
- Email overload has reached critical mass
- Professional workflows are being reimagined post-pandemic
Looking ahead, I believe we’re going to see one of two scenarios play out: Either Cora represents the vanguard of truly intelligent email management, or it’s going to expose the limitations of current AI in handling nuanced human communications. Either way, it’s going to be fascinating to watch.
What I don’t buy is the idea that this is a complete solution to email’s problems. Technology alone rarely is. But as a step toward more intelligent communication management? That’s worth paying attention to.
P.S. It’s worth noting that the email client space has seen numerous promising startups flame out over the years. The real test for Cora will be whether it can maintain its effectiveness as it scales beyond its current beta phase.