Canonical engineer Didier Roche-Tolomelli has published warty-prototype1, a prototype launcher exploring on-device AI integration on the Ubuntu desktop.
Available on the Snap Store, the semi-interactive mockup demonstrates simulated tasks including local image retrieval, wallpaper configuration, and clipboard-based calendar generation.
A Canonical engineer created and published a demo program to show how such an add-on could work in practice. The tool, called warty-prototype1 and developed by Didier Roche-Tolomelli, is not a complete application but an automated simulation.
According to the Ubuntu app store listing, this is a design dialogue around the future look of the system's main search and application launcher menu. The name warty refers to the raw nature of the first Ubuntu release.
How the simulation works
The testing tool is activated by clicking on a small Ubuntu logo in the top bar of the screen. Through a text area, the user can see how the system could perform various tasks.
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In one of the scenarios presented, the system is asked to locate an image on the computer, set it as wallpaper, and change the colors of the desktop environment. In another test, the AI suggests and installs an application from the store to open specific files, while another scenario involves creating a calendar program based on data from text copy history.
At the same time, the tool can also function as a classic menu for finding files, applications, emoji, open browser tabs, recent tasks, and data from the copy history.
The company's next plans
Canonical has previously expressed its intention to strengthen the artificial intelligence capabilities of Ubuntu, emphasizing tools that run locally on the device and offer practical solutions to users, without unnecessary additions. In this context, in October 2026, a text dictation tool called Myna was released.
This prototype can be installed via the app store on supported versions of Ubuntu for those who want to try out the simulated scenarios, although it is purely a concept in the design stage and not a working tool.
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