Anthropic brings Claude AI directly into Slack for paid teams

Anthropic has launched Claude integration directly within Slack, allowing teams with paid Slack plans to access the AI assistant through direct messaging or group threads. The integration enables Claude to reference past Slack conversations and handle routine workplace tasks, reflecting a broader industry trend toward embedding AI agents into daily business workflows.

What you should know: Claude can now function as an AI collaborator within Slack workspaces, accessible through simple tagging or a dedicated icon.

• Users can start private conversations with Claude or add it to group threads by tagging @Claude or clicking an icon in the top-right corner of their screen.
• The integration gives Claude permission to access threads in workspace channels, direct messages, and shared files that users have direct access to.
• Claude in Slack is available now through the Slack Marketplace for teams with paid Slack plans.

How it works: Claude can be integrated with Slack through two methods, each offering different levels of functionality.

• The basic integration allows users to interact with Claude directly within Slack for tasks like drafting messages and breaking down key points from shared documents.
• A new Slack connector, accessible through Claude’s settings menu, enables the AI to access users’ past Slack messages to contextualize responses to queries.
• Users might prompt Claude to search through recent messages to prioritize tasks and draft emails for scheduling meetings.

Who can access it: Different integration levels are available to different user tiers and require specific permissions.

• The Slack connector is available to Claude Team and Enterprise customers only.
• Account administrators must first enable the connector before teams can access it through the chatbot’s settings tab.

The big picture: This integration represents part of a broader industry movement to embed AI agents into workplace platforms as virtual assistants for mundane tasks.

• “Every company is on its way to becoming an agentic enterprise, where AI agents work hand-in-hand with humans. Partnering with Anthropic to integrate Claude into Slack and Slack context into Claude accelerates that journey — bringing best-in-class AI directly into the flow of work,” Rob Seaman, Chief Product Officer at Slack, said in a statement.
• Slack previously launched AI-powered features in July, including real-time translation for its Pro, Enterprise+, and Business+ plans.

Competitive landscape: AI developers are increasingly using popular third-party apps as entry points to reach more users.

• Anthropic has integrated Claude with other popular apps like Stripe, Canva, and Asana through a directory of third-party connectors.
• AI startup Perplexity launched an Email Assistant tool last month that connects directly to Gmail or Microsoft for tasks like summarizing lengthy email threads.
• This strategy makes AI tools more accessible by reducing the friction of accessing them through familiar workplace platforms.