Slack has launched new GenAI features to simplify workplace communication by summarizing chat threads and recapping channel activities.

Aimed at helping employees quickly catch up on important discussions, these tools are especially useful for those new to a job or returning from a break. By integrating GenAI, Slack tackles the challenge of information overload, allowing users to stay informed without reading every message.

The features, part of Slack’s paid enterprise plan, use GenAI for natural language queries and summarizing conversations. This means employees can now get concise summaries of discussions and answers based on their access rights, improving efficiency. These GenAI tools help manage the flood of information and ensure that users can quickly grasp essential updates and insights.

Channel recaps and AI-generated thread summaries are standout benefits for users who want to catch up on missed conversations over any specified period. This approach is a game-changer for maintaining productivity and engagement, even after absences. Slack AI’s introduction showcases the platform’s commitment to leveraging cutting-edge technology to solve real-world workplace challenges.

As a premium add-on, Slack AI requires an additional fee from enterprises, promising competitive rates and aiming for widespread adoption across all users within an organization. Initial feedback suggests that these GenAI enhancements save users an average of 95 minutes weekly. Looking forward, Slack hints at more GenAI-driven innovations to come, aiming to unlock and utilize years of accumulated business knowledge more efficiently.