Built for AI from the ground up
Other email tools bolt on AI features. Pontius was designed from day one for AI assistants. Every command, every output, every feature assumes an AI is driving.
The commands don't just output help text — they output AI prompts. Your assistant gets exactly what it needs to manage your email autonomously.
The problem with “AI-powered” email tools
They weren't built for AI. They were built for humans, then AI was bolted on.
That means verbose outputs your AI has to parse. Web interfaces that can't be automated. APIs designed for developers, not assistants. And documentation your AI needs to read and interpret before it can help you.
Pontius is different. We built it assuming an AI would be the primary operator.
Commands that output AI prompts, not just help text.
Run pontius setup and your AI gets step-by-step instructions it can execute directly. Run pontius blitz and it gets a complete system prompt. No docs required.
Three commands. That's all your AI needs.
Setup, reference, and go. Everything else flows from conversation.
pontius setup
AI-guided setup — the AI runs most of it
Outputs a complete instruction set for your AI assistant. Uses icons to show what the AI runs directly (🤖), what you need to do (🔐 passwords only), and what to verify (✓). Your AI can set up Pontius almost entirely by itself.
$ pontius setup
# Pontius Setup Guide (AI-Assisted)
You are helping a user set up Pontius. You run most commands directly.
## 🔑 Key Principle
Only PASSWORDS require user input (they go to secure keychain).
Everything else - you run directly and verify.
🔐 = User types in their terminal (passwords only)
🤖 = You run directly
✓ = You verify the result
## Step 1: License
### 🤖 First, check if already licensed:
Run: pontius license
...Just say: “Help me set up Pontius” — your AI takes it from there.
pontius help
Token-efficient command reference
Concise, scannable command reference designed for both humans and AI. No verbose explanations — just what you need to know, formatted for quick parsing.
$ pontius help
EMAIL OPERATIONS
list [--folder NAME] [--full] List emails (default: INBOX)
read <uid> [options] Read email by UID
search <query> [options] Search emails
--folder <name> Search in folder
--days <n> Only last N days
reply <uid> [options] "message" Reply to email
send [options] <to> "subj" "body" Send new email
archive <uids> Archive to All Mail
move <uids> "folder" Move to folder/label
unsubscribe <uid> Unsubscribe from mailing list
...Your AI can run this anytime it needs to check syntax. Always up-to-date.
pontius blitz
Complete AI system prompt — ready to go
This is the magic one. Outputs a complete system prompt for your AI with modes (stabilizers or auto), key commands, knowledge base structure, workflow guidelines, and specific instructions. Your AI becomes an email assistant instantly.
$ pontius blitz
PONTIUS EMAIL BLITZ
You are the user's AI email assistant using Pontius CLI.
MODES (ask user which one, or they may specify):
STABILIZERS (learning phase)
- ASK before any action that sends/modifies
- Search knowledge base before answering
- After each resolved email, UPDATE knowledge base
- Building context for future autonomy
AUTO (autonomous phase)
- Act on known patterns without asking
- Only ask for: sensitive/financial matters, unknown contacts
- Still update knowledge base for new patterns
WORKFLOW
1. pontius list (show inbox)
2. Categorize: noise (archive), needs response, needs user input
3. Batch questions - don't ask one at a time
4. Draft responses for approval (stabilizers) or send (auto)
5. Update knowledge base with new info
Ask: "Stabilizers on (learning) or auto (autonomous)?"Just say: “Let's do an email blitz, auto mode” — and you're off.
Prompt engineering as product design
We didn't build a CLI and then write documentation. We built commands that ARE the documentation — formatted as AI prompts.
No docs required
Your AI doesn't need to read documentation. The commands themselves contain everything — context, examples, guidelines. Self-documenting by design.
Token-efficient
Every output is designed for minimum tokens, maximum information. Less parsing, faster responses, lower costs. Your AI gets exactly what it needs.
Modes built in
Stabilizers (learning) and auto (autonomous) modes are baked into the blitz prompt. Your AI knows how to behave in each mode without extra configuration.
Non-technical friendly
You don't need to know terminal commands. Just talk to your AI: “Help me set up Pontius” or “Let's clear my inbox.”
How it actually works
You say:
“Hey, let's do an email blitz. Auto mode.”
Your AI:
$ pontius blitz
Got it — auto mode. I'll handle routine emails based on your knowledge base and only ask about sensitive matters or unknown contacts.
Let me check your inbox...
Your AI (a few seconds later):
Done:
- • Archived 4 billing receipts
- • Replied to 2 support tickets (known patterns)
- • Unsubscribed from 1 newsletter
Need your input:
Email from new contact about partnership opportunity. Want me to draft something?
That's the whole interaction. No setup wizards, no configuration screens. Just conversation.
Works with any AI assistant
Because it's a CLI that outputs clean text, Pontius works with whatever AI you use.
Claude Code
Recommended
Gemini CLI
Codex CLI
Cursor
Windsurf
Aider
Local LLMs
Ollama, etc.
Whatever's next
This is why early adopters win
Most people are using AI the hard way — copying emails into ChatGPT, explaining context every time, manually executing suggestions. Pontius gives your AI direct access to your inbox with one command. That's not a small advantage. That's a workflow revolution.
Ready to get ahead?
AI assistants are changing how everyone works. Early adopters will have a massive advantage. Get Pontius today — $99 once, yours forever.