Salesforce announces an AI-heavy makeover for Slack, with 30 new features

Salesforce is making significant strides in its transformation towards AI integration, and during a recent event in San Francisco, CEO Marc Benioff showcased an enhanced version of Slack that comes packed with innovative AI capabilities. Among the most exciting updates is a major upgrade to the Slackbot, which now boasts a suite of 30 new features set to launch in the coming months. These enhancements follow earlier updates that empowered Slackbot with functionalities such as drafting emails, scheduling meetings, and sifting through inboxes for specific information. The standout feature introduced is known as reusable AI-skills, which enables users to define specific tasks for Slackbot that can be utilized across various contexts. This functionality allows users to significantly streamline their workload. For instance, with a simple command like 'create a budget' for an upcoming event, Slackbot can gather all relevant data from various Slack channels and connected applications to devise a comprehensive action plan. It even takes the initiative to arrange a meeting with the appropriate team members based on their roles. In addition to its enhanced task management capabilities, Slackbot is now equipped to function as a Model Context Protocol (MCP) client. This means it can seamlessly connect with external services, including Agentforce, Salesforce’s AI agent development platform launched in 2024. This connection allows Slackbot to efficiently route tasks and inquiries to the most suitable agents or applications within an enterprise, all autonomously. Rob Seaman, Slack’s interim CEO, highlighted that Slackbot has also gained the ability to transcribe meetings and provide summaries. If a participant misses essential information, they can easily request a recap from Slackbot, including any assigned action items. Moreover, the bot now monitors activities beyond Slack, analyzing desktop tasks such as deals, conversations, and calendar events to offer actionable suggestions. Privacy remains a priority, with built-in protections allowing users to control permissions as necessary. Overall, Salesforce aims to transition Slack from a mere communication tool into a multifaceted platform capable of managing a broader spectrum of business operations. Benioff remarked on the impressive growth since Salesforce acquired Slack, noting a 2.5-fold increase in revenue and highlighting that around a million businesses are now utilizing the platform.