Slack might soon use AI to summarize your files

The workplace messaging platform Slack appears to be expanding its artificial intelligence capabilities with a new feature that would automatically generate summaries of uploaded files, building on its existing AI-powered tools introduced earlier this year.

Key development: Slack’s Android application code reveals plans to implement AI-powered file summarization capabilities, allowing users to quickly grasp the contents of documents without reading them in full.

• The feature appears designed to work with PDFs and various text document formats
• Certain limitations will apply, including restrictions on password-protected files and size constraints
• Users will have the ability to delete summaries and provide feedback on their accuracy and detail level

Technical context: An analysis of Slack’s Android application package (APK version 24-10-50-0) uncovered several code strings that point to this upcoming functionality.

• The discovery comes through examination of the application’s underlying code structure
• APK teardowns are a common method for discovering features in development before their official release
• The presence of these strings suggests the feature is actively being developed, though no release timeline is indicated

Feature integration: This new capability would complement Slack’s existing AI toolkit, which currently includes thread summaries, semantic search, and channel recaps.

• The addition would align Slack with competitors offering similar AI tools
• Users would be able to access document summaries without leaving the Slack platform
• The feature appears designed to streamline workflow by reducing the need to switch between multiple applications

Looking ahead: While the discovery of these code strings indicates Slack’s clear intention to implement AI file summaries, the actual deployment timeline and full feature set remain undefined, potentially signaling a measured approach to expanding their AI capabilities within their established productivity ecosystem.