Slack supercharges productivity with built-In AI features and enterprise search

Slack has unveiled a major AI overhaul across its platform, embedding advanced automation and search capabilities directly into the workspace interface. The update aims to help teams stay focused, navigate information faster, and simplify collaborative tasks without leaving the platform.

At the centre of the update is a new enterprise search tool that can comb through conversations, files, PDFs, images, and even integrated third-party apps like Google Drive, Jira, and Microsoft Teams. This enables users to get answers instantly using natural language queries. Whether it’s digging through past project notes or tracking a document trail, Slack now turns scattered knowledge into accessible insight.

"AI is supposed to simplify work, but too often it just creates friction. With Slack, we're building AI that actually makes users more productive by embedding it directly into the platform they already know and love, right in their flow of work. Combined with the power of digital labor with AI agents, Slack's work operating system becomes more intuitive, intelligent, and ready for whatever teams need next, said Shalini Agarwal, VP of Slack Product, Salesforce.

Other new features include AI-powered writing assistance within Slack canvas, capable of summarising threads, generating structured updates, and turning rough notes into polished project briefs. Writing tone can be adjusted, and content restructured based on user preferences. During Slack huddles, the tool can now auto-generate transcripts, action items, and summaries.

The update also includes message-level insights. Users can hover over jargon or acronyms for quick explanations tailored to their workspace vocabulary. If a message mentions a request or task, Slack will generate a clear action item, making it easier for users to respond without sifting through long threads.

AI-powered profile summaries and translations are also on the way, helping cross-functional teams understand colleagues’ roles and contributions or communicate across languages without switching tools.

Another standout upgrade is the redesigned Shortcuts experience. Slack has added intelligent actions that allow users to automate processes using the Apple Intelligence model or Private Cloud Compute. These smart workflows are accessible via icons, voice input, or gestures like squeezing an Apple Pencil Pro. For example, a student could build a shortcut that compares class notes to an audio lecture transcript and automatically fills in missed points.

Rahul Sharma, Vice President – Sales, Salesforce India, said, “As Indian enterprises embrace AI to drive scale and speed, the real edge lies in making AI work where work actually happens. That’s what Slack delivers - AI that’s intuitive, secure, and embedded directly in the flow of work. The new AI features in Slack are a game-changer because they bring intelligence directly to where the work happens – in our conversations and shared spaces. From instantly finding vital data with enterprise search to quickly summarising discussions, AI in Slack removes friction and gives teams back time to focus on what matters. It’s seamless, secure, and built for how teams work today - this is AI that actually works for you.”

Slack is also simplifying its interface with a unified files view to consolidate canvases, lists, and shared documents in one place. This helps reduce friction in navigation and boosts accessibility as teams scale.

On the security front, Slack says none of the customer data is used to train AI models. All AI features respect existing user permissions and comply with enterprise-grade standards, including FedRAMP and data residency rules.

The AI features are available across Slack’s paid tiers. Pro users get basic summaries, Business+ offers more powerful search and automation tools, and Enterprise+ includes full-scale AI integration with advanced governance options.