Slack is introducing AI features to help users understand workplace jargon quickly, automate tasks like summarizing conversations, and provide context about colleagues, aiming to enhance productivity and streamline communication. Some features are already available for certain plans, with others upcoming.
Slack is enhancing its platform with AI-powered search across channels and connected apps, transcription and summaries for Huddles, and new features like profile summaries and AI-assisted content creation, along with a design overhaul.
Google Chat is introducing 'huddles,' a feature similar to Slack's, allowing users to initiate quick audio or video calls directly from a chat. This Google Meet-powered addition, announced over a year ago, is now rolling out to all Workspace users by January 6th. The feature enhances Chat's functionality, complementing other recent updates like AI summaries and voice recording.
A hacktivist group named Nullbulge leaked over a terabyte of confidential data from more than 10,000 Disney Slack channels, including sensitive information about ad campaigns, computer code, and unreleased projects. The group targeted Disney over concerns about artist contracts and the company's use of generative AI. Disney is currently investigating the breach, which was achieved by compromising an employee's computer.
Disney is investigating a reported hack of its internal Slack channels by a group called Nullbulge, which claims to have accessed data from nearly 10,000 channels, including unreleased projects and sensitive information. The group targeted Disney over its handling of artist contracts, AI, and consumer relations, and has posted some of the stolen data online. The breach recalls the 2014 Sony Pictures hack.
A hacking group named Nullbulge has leaked internal communications from Disney's Slack channels, including discussions about ad campaigns, studio technology, and unreleased projects. The group claims to have accessed the data through a compromised Disney manager's computer. Disney is investigating the breach, which has raised concerns about the company's handling of artist contracts and use of AI.
Hackers from the group "NullBulge" claim to have leaked 1.1 terabytes of Disney's internal Slack messages, including sensitive data and unreleased projects. The breach allegedly involved an insider, and Disney is currently investigating the matter. The data was initially posted on BreachForums and later taken down but remains available on mirror sites. Security experts warn that corporate Slack accounts are valuable targets for attackers.
Slack has extended its AI tools to all paying customers, offering features such as auto-generated channel and thread recaps, conversational search, and language support in Japanese and Spanish. The AI algorithm can pull content from various topics discussed in channels, and users can opt into daily recaps for any channel or thread. Integration with third-party apps like Salesforce’s Einstein Copilot is also on the horizon, although it remains to be seen how impactful these tools will be in changing how people use the service.
Microsoft has globally introduced new versions of Microsoft 365 and Office 365 subscription services that exclude its business collaboration chat offering Teams, following criticism and complaints from the European Union and rival Slack. The move aims to address concerns about unfair bundling and market dominance, with Microsoft now offering standalone pricing for Teams at $5.25 per user per month and Office packages without Teams at prices ranging from $7.75 to $54.75. Existing customers have the flexibility to maintain their current bundled package or choose new offers, while new standalone offerings are available for enterprise customers outside the EU and Switzerland.
Microsoft is globally unbundling Teams from the Office apps, following a similar move in the EU, in response to regulatory pressure and complaints from competitors like Slack and Zoom. New commercial customers can now purchase Teams and Office apps separately, with separate price tags, while existing Microsoft 365 customers can continue to subscribe to both together. The move aims to address concerns about market dominance and competition, with Microsoft offering a range of pricing options for different subscription tiers.
Denise Dresser, the new CEO of Slack, aims to bring stability after a series of CEO turnovers. She faces the challenge of reviving Slack's revenue growth within the Salesforce ecosystem while maintaining its appeal to non-Salesforce customers. Dresser sees potential in integrating generative AI into Slack and across Salesforce products. She also needs to compete with Microsoft Teams and navigate the departure of Slack's co-founder and CTO. Despite the challenges, Dresser is focused on making human connections and driving the company forward.
Former Gizmodo writer Tom McKay changed his name to "Slackbot" and pretended to be the friendly robot on Slack after leaving the company, going undetected by management for months. By using a profile picture resembling an angrier version of Slackbot's icon and a name with a special character resembling the letter "o," McKay's active account evaded deletion and allowed him to send bot-like messages to colleagues. While some companies have security measures in place to prevent this kind of trick, Gizmodo's management either thought McKay's account had been deleted or simply didn't notice the duplicate Slackbot with a suspicious pair of brows.
Slack introduces AI-fueled search and summarization features to make corporate information more accessible, allowing users to ask natural language questions and receive AI-generated answers with sourcing. The platform also enables the summarization of channel content and includes a quality check for user feedback. The new features are part of an add-on product for enterprise plans and are currently available in U.S. and U.K. English, with plans to expand to additional languages in the future.
Slack has launched its AI bot, designed to help users manage work threads and channels by summarizing content and improving search capabilities. The bot, available as a paid add-on, aims to make it easier for users to catch up on missed conversations and find information quickly. Slack AI offers thread and channel summarization, as well as improved search functionality, and is part of a growing trend of enterprise businesses incorporating generative AI into their platforms.
Salesforce-owned Slack has launched Slack AI, an intelligent assistant designed to summarize work threads and channels, making it easier for users to catch up on conversations and key topics. The AI offers summarization for threads and channels, as well as a search option, aiming to eliminate the hassle of scrolling through lengthy conversations. Slack AI is now available to all customers as a paid add-on, with features that can be particularly helpful in time-sensitive situations, such as responding to customer issues or summarizing recent channel conversations.