[d0m3]

VS code (developer interface) has this feature where you activate a text input with a hotkey. It is used to trigger specific actions. You can type text and it will give you the actions that match the text. You also see a list of the actions you triggered that way previously. This is great because I don't have to remember how to trigger a specific action and I can also discover new actions just by searching. Ultimately it doesn't change the UI, but it sounds quite similar to what the author describes. There is some potential there with a search bar that is more about intent than text matching.

[easton]

They also have this in recent versions of Office (Alt+Q). Helps a lot when I can't remember exactly what the button on the ribbon looks like.

[amne]

This brings back memories from my old days of VS programming (.NET C# or C++) with IntelliSense when I used to bless every object instance with Ctrl+Space.

[rapnie]

Yes, I remember dark IT history where nonetheless my VS IDE had traveled back from the future, where it is now missing.

[carlosjobim]

MacOS has this in every program through a search field in the help menu. It is very useful!