Slack to let users build interactive dashboards with AI directly in chats

Slack is introducing a new feature called Slackforce Surfaces, which will let users build interactive tools directly inside a chat conversation with the help of Slackbot. These tools can include reports, polls, dashboards, presentations, and even simple microsites.

Users simply describe what they need to Slackbot, and the AI assistant gathers relevant information from ongoing conversations as well as connected apps such as Google Drive or Salesforce to generate the requested content.

How it works

Once a Surface is created, it can be shared with colleagues and pinned to a channel, allowing others to view it, interact with it, and leave comments. Slack shared an example in which a user asks Slackbot to build an arcade-themed visualization of AI token usage, resulting in an interactive dashboard breaking down usage across departments like sales, design, and engineering.

Ryan Gavin, Slack's chief marketing officer, told The Verge that the goal is to let teams build the dashboards, decks, and reports they need right where their conversations already happen, rather than exporting data to a separate tool.

Part of a broader Slackbot overhaul

The update follows Slack's recent transformation of Slackbot into a more capable AI assistant, which can already summarize information across channels, sort through messages, and help schedule meetings. Last month, the company also introduced collaborative vibe-coding channels.

According to Slack, Surfaces could also be used to build a live dashboard for monitoring a customer support queue or to generate financial forecasts pulling in data from connected apps. The company notes the tool will only access information users have explicitly given it permission to use.

Slackforce Surfaces will be available to all customers, including those on the free plan, as long as Slackbot is enabled in their workspace. Support for live data is expected to launch in October.