Slack has announced more than 30 new features for Slackbot, its AI-powered assistant. The update expands Slackbot from a basic chat tool into an agent that can take meeting notes, operate across the desktop, connect to external apps, and manage customer data.
The most notable new feature is meeting intelligence. When activated by the user, Slackbot listens to audio from meetings held on any platform, including Zoom and Google Meet, through the Slack desktop app. It then produces summaries, captures decisions, and identifies action items. Rob Seaman, Slack’s executive vice president and general manager, described the feature as especially useful for sales teams who are often managing multiple windows during a call.
Several other capabilities are part of the update:
- Operator mode: Slackbot can complete multi-step tasks on the user’s desktop. Users select content on their screen and ask Slackbot to act on it.
- AI skills: Reusable instruction sets that define how Slackbot should handle recurring tasks. Teams can build their own or use a built-in library.
- MCP integration: A new Model Context Protocol client allows Slackbot to connect to external tools, including Google Workspace, Microsoft 365, and Notion.
- Native CRM: A customer relationship management tool built directly into Slack, aimed at small businesses that do not yet use a dedicated CRM system.
Slackbot is built on Anthropic’s Claude model. Slack says it works closely with Anthropic to manage the cost of running the model at enterprise scale. Slackbot is included in Business+ and Enterprise+ plans at no additional charge.
Slack says Slackbot is on track to become the fastest-adopted product in Salesforce’s history since its general availability in January. Salesforce, which acquired Slack for $27.7 billion in 2021, says some employees save up to 90 minutes per day using the tool.
The expansion of Slackbot beyond the Slack app raises questions about workplace surveillance. Seaman was clear that all features are user-initiated and opt-in. Slackbot cannot listen to audio or view the desktop without the user explicitly triggering it. Organizations retain control through existing Slack permission settings. Users can also delete any stored preferences at any time.
Slack’s broader ambition, according to company leadership, is to serve as a central hub where workers interact with AI agents and enterprise tools without switching between apps. Seaman acknowledged the risk of overcomplicating a platform that built its reputation on simplicity. “There’s absolutely a risk,” he said. “That’s what keeps us up at night.”
Slackbot will become available in a limited capacity to users on free and Pro plans starting in April.
Sources: The Deep View, VentureBeat
