You'll soon be able to talk to Slack — and if you're lucky, it'll even talk back (www.techradar.com)

Slack is set to enhance its user experience with the introduction of a new two-way communication feature in its Slackbot AI agent, allowing users to engage in natural language conversations. This upgrade, unveiled at Salesforce's Dreamforce 2026, aims to boost productivity by enabling users to ask questions and receive verbal responses from Slackbot, which can also trigger real actions like updating records or automating processes without typing. For instance, a user heading to a meeting could instruct Slackbot to advance a deal's status and receive immediate confirmation. This development is significant for the AI/ML community as it demonstrates a push towards more intuitive, conversational interfaces in business applications, enhancing user engagement and operational efficiency. Additionally, new features like Slackforce Surface for interactive workflow interfaces, video and deck generation for presentations, and the ability to tag Slackbot in group channels further underline Slack's commitment to integrating advanced AI capabilities into everyday tasks. While a release date remains unannounced, the potential for improved workplace collaboration and automation represents a notable evolution in how teams interact with technology.