Slack gets AI features: Channel recaps, thread summarization, and more
Slack is stepping up its game with a range of AI features, designed to help users stay on top of lengthy threads and unread messages. Initially tested last year, Slack AI is now available as a paid add-on for Enterprise customers. The AI-powered tools offered by the platform include thread summarization, channel recaps, and answering questions based on prior messages.
Summarizing threads and channel recaps
With Slack AI, users can get summaries of messages from a specific time or unread messages, by clicking on the star icon in the top-right section of a channel. This is especially handy for those returning to work and needing to catch up on recent discussions. The AI can also answer questions about projects and workplace policies, as long as they're mentioned in Slack, and even decipher acronyms used within the platform.
Integration with other apps and upcoming features
Slack's AI also integrates with other apps that connect to Slack, allowing users to receive summaries of Notion docs in link previews or ask questions about content stored in Box. The company is working on more tools to summarize/prioritize information, as well as a new digest feature that offers highlights from selected channels. Additionally, Slack is developing a native integration for the Einstein Copilot. It is an AI chatbot that can compose messages to colleagues on behalf of users.
What about its availability?
Slack claims the large language models (LLMs) used by them are hosted directly within the platform. Customer data is not used to train LLMs. The company added that "customer data remains siloed" and is not "used to serve other clients." As of now, Slack AI is offered solely in US and UK English. More languages and plans will be supported in the future.
