Next-OS is available to all Aptus.AI clients. This is not an incremental update to Next5: it is a shift in how you work with the platform. Where there used to be a tool that carried out instructions, there is now a system that reasons with you about your goal before producing a result. This document explains what changes, what Next-OS can actually do, and how to start putting it to work.
From execution to collaboration
Next5 works in a linear way. You give an instruction, the platform interprets it, plans the response it needs to build, and produces it. A useful and reliable mechanism, but one-directional.
Next-OS works differently. Before producing any output, it reasons about the goal, weighs the available options, identifies any problems, and iterates on its own reasoning. It does this autonomously, but as it works it shows the process in real time: you can follow every step. The output you receive is the result of that reasoning, not of a single execution.
The summary is simple: Next5 executes, Next-OS collaborates. And that is exactly how it makes sense to work with Next-OS, as you would with a real colleague.
| Next5 | Next-OS | |
|---|---|---|
| Interaction model | Carries out the instruction | Reasons about the goal and collaborates |
| Process | Linear, not visible | Iterative and shown in real time |
| Persistence of work | Single conversation | Persistent workspaces, unlimited in number |
| Document handling | Separate upload area | Inside the conversation |
| Integrations | Not available | SharePoint, OneDrive, Outlook (Google coming soon) |
How to work with Next-OS
The operating principle is to treat Next-OS like a human colleague and interact with it in the same way. In practice:
- If you want clarification on an output, ask for it directly.
- If you are not sure how best to phrase a request, invite the assistant to ask for what it needs by saying “if you need more information, ask for it”.
- If you do not know what it is capable of for a given task, ask the assistant itself.
This approach replaces the logic of the command with that of dialogue, and reflects the way Next-OS was designed to work.
What it does in practice
The operational capabilities of Next-OS are built for the document and research work of a legal practice. In particular, the assistant can:
- Draft a document from one of the firm’s models or templates, preserving its formatting, style, and letterhead.
- Produce highly structured output: draft or review long and complex contracts and documents without altering the format.
- Review and edit pleadings and documents in review mode, with full support for markup and track changes.
- Conduct case law research with a high degree of precision, confirmed by internal testing.
These are some of the main activities. The range of tasks it can handle is broader, and whenever you are unsure whether a request is within the assistant’s reach, the quickest way to find out is to ask directly.
Workspaces: the structural change
Workspaces are the main innovation in Next-OS, and they can be created in unlimited numbers.
They are persistent spaces, each dedicated to a single matter or to an activity that develops over time: a litigation file, a dispute, a client’s contract work, any activity that does not end with a single question. Within each workspace, the goal, the documents, the research carried out, the pleadings produced or uploaded, and every other piece of context stay together. Each new conversation picks up from that context, with no need to explain the case from scratch every time.
Within each workspace you can also specify the information to keep in memory: for example, formatting and style preferences for the document, the tone to adopt, and any other contextual element relevant to that specific matter.
A workspace can be created in two ways:
- From the sidebar. In the dedicated section of the left sidebar, select “Create workspace” at the top right. A chat opens: simply follow the instructions provided, as in an ordinary conversation.
- From an existing conversation. Start from a normal conversation with the assistant and work as you naturally would. When you realize that this is not a one-off request but an actual ongoing matter, you can turn the conversation into a workspace. Often it is the assistant itself that suggests this, once it recognizes that the activity deserves a dedicated space.
A concrete example. You begin by asking for an opinion on an unlawful dismissal, you upload the employment contract, you request the review of a clause and the relevant case law, you clarify a few facts with the assistant. At some point you realize this is a matter that will stay with you over time: you simply ask to create a workspace from that conversation, and everything useful (the goal, the uploaded documents, the results, the pleadings produced, and the context already learned) is brought into the workspace. The assistant guides you through the process step by step.
The new way of handling documents
There is one change to keep in mind. Documents are handled inside the conversation, not in a separate upload area. Every document you upload and every pleading the assistant produces within a conversation in the workspace is added to the space automatically.
At first this logic may feel unusual, but it is consistent with the rest of the system: the work happens in the dialogue, as it would with a human colleague. You bring documents in when they become relevant, you explain what you want to achieve, you answer the assistant’s questions, and it keeps track of the matter for next time.
Integrations
Next-OS can connect to the services you use every day, so you do not have to upload everything by hand. At launch, connectors are available for SharePoint, OneDrive, and Outlook, covering both mail and calendar. Once connected, the assistant can draw on the documents and information that live in those services, without your having to move or re-upload them each time.
Google Drive, Gmail, and Google Calendar will be added shortly, working in the same way.
Discover everything Next-OS can do
Next-OS offers far more than this guide can cover. To see all of its capabilities in action on your real matters, and to understand how to fit them into your firm’s workflow, book a demo with our team.
