As a business that simply couldn’t function without Slack, we’re not afraid to recommend Slack over Microsoft Teams to our clients. And yes, while we do acknowledge that Teams has some AI and co-pilot features, companies that use Slack can take full advantage of Slack’s AI features because there’s enough data in their channels for AI to work its magic.

If you didn’t know, Slack was originally an acronym for “Searchable Log of All Corporate Knowledge”. This means companies can benefit from the AI features available because the platform's extensive logging and search capabilities enable AI tools to analyze vast amounts of data, identify patterns, and provide insightful recommendations.

While Teams may offer more features when considering it’s part of the Microsoft 365 suite of tools, Slack’s easy-to-use functionality provides users with a much smoother onboarding experience.

Pro tip: Search for “When you move from a Slack/Gmail company to a Teams/Outlook company” on social for some spicy Teams user testimonials.

Here’s a quick overview of how the two products compare in terms of features and functionality:

To sum things up:

• Slack - Slack works best as a productivity chat app that is easy to use with a clean, intuitive interface. Slack easily integrates with a vast number of other tools and services (including Salesforce), is great for remote and hybrid teams that prefer to collaborate through text, and has a vibrant community and user base that new users can tap into for tips, best practices, and support.

• Teams - Teams has a more comprehensive and potentially complex onboarding process, with a strong integration with Microsoft 365 services. While Teams supports third-party integrations, the process may not be as seamless compared to Slack. Teams is most beneficial for users already using Microsoft’s ecosystem.

Slack AI Features

Not sure if you’re taking advantage of the latest Slack AI features? Let’s take a closer look at the AI features you should be aware of and how these features can help you streamline your workflow, enhance team collaboration, and boost overall productivity.

Slack AI Recaps

‍

For anyone that struggles with information overload (raises hand), the Slack AI “Recap” feature is a godsend. As a Salesforce consulting firm, we have tons of project channels with conversations flowing daily with key project updates and leadership discussions.

Beyond project channels, we also have opportunity channels, a sales and marketing channel, a consulting channel for asking questions and sharing knowledge (highly recommend), and a handful of others. Keeping up with these daily can take 1-2 hours or more, but is crucial for running successful projects and team collaboration (we’re a remote-first company). 

With the new recap feature, you get an overview of any channel with detailed bullet points that are easy to digest. This saves you the headache of reading through dozens of unread messages and even includes specific people mentioned and links to where the message is located in the channel. 

If you feel like you’re constantly distracted by incoming messages (raises hand again), this feature allows you to stay in the know with a quick recap without being pulled out of the flow of work. 

Slack AI Summaries

Also great: the Slack AI summary tool. Threads are their own unique challenge to keep up with in channels, but with the summary tool, you can quickly cut through the noise and get to the meaty bits of the conversation in one click. 

For sales reps, this tool is excellent for generating main takeaways from a long discussion about deal progress so reps can stay on track to close the deal. That’s a win-win in our book. 

AI-powered Search in Slack

AI-powered search provides personalized, intelligent responses to any question. Users can ask a question and will receive an answer based on relevant Slack messages. This feature is useful for channels with a long history where you may not necessarily remember every detail or key words used. AI will make smart suggestions based on your company’s public communications and your personal conversations. 

Whether you want to learn about a new project or see where you are in a deal approval process, AI-powered search in Slack can help you find what you’re looking for and quickly gain the insights you need based on historical context. 

Pricing: How Much Do the Latest Slack AI Features Cost?

Slack recently expanded access to generative AI features that were previously only available to users with a Slack Enterprise plan. Now anyone with a paid Slack plan can add the AI features discussed above as an add-on. If you have an Enterprise plan, you still need to get in touch about pricing for Slack AI features. 

Parting Thoughts

As a business that thrives on the capabilities provided by Slack, we highly recommend it to our customers and partners. Slack’s AI features, from recaps and summaries to AI-powered search, empower teams to manage information overload, stay on top of crucial updates, and streamline workflows efficiently.

While Microsoft Teams offers its own advantages, especially within the Microsoft 365 suite, Slack’s intuitive interface and robust AI capabilities stand out, particularly for companies with extensive data within their channels.

With the recent availability of AI features across all paid Slack plans, companies can now access advanced tools previously reserved for Enterprise users, making it an even more attractive option. If you haven’t yet explored these features, now is the time to dive in and see how Slack can transform your business operations.

Interested in learning more about our Slack Assessment? Get in touch with our team to find out if you’re getting the most out of the platform, including the latest AI features and Salesforce for Slack integrations. Don’t Slack on Slack!