Slack has finally launched its generative AI toolset globally, The vast majority of these features are aimed at simplifying your daily life when using the work-focused chat platform.
First, the AI will automatically generate channel recaps to give you the highlights of anything you missed while you were away from the keyboard or smartphone. Slack claims that the algorithm that generates these recaps is intelligent enough to separate content from different topics covered. In other words, if your coworkers get into a debate about coffee beans and also talk about third-quarter results or whatever, you should get a paragraph on both.
There is a similar tool available for threads, which are essentially just individual or group conversations that don't take up an entire channel. This allows users to “keep up to date with any thread with just one click.” You can now safely ignore that coworker who messages you eight times in a row when a short paragraph would absolutely suffice.
Another great feature here is conversational search. This allows you to ask a question using natural language instead of using Slack's pre-existing search bar to slowly scroll through previous discussions. The algorithm does the mining for you, providing you with a “clear and concise answer based on relevant conversational data.”
It remains to be seen how long these tools will last will save the average user throughout the workday, but Slack says it remains committed to artificial intelligence. To that end, the company is preparing more native AI features, including the ability to generate personalized summaries of channels that users don't view on a daily basis but want to keep tabs on. Additionally, Slack says it will soon integrate some of its most used third-party apps into the AI ecosystem.