Use AI to write or edit content in a canvas
Turn your Slack conversations into structured, shareable content by using AI to create or edit a canvas. With help from AI, draft a project brief or polish up meeting notes before sharing them with your team.
How it works
- A blank canvas now has all the context that you have in Slack. When creating or editing content, AI can draw from conversations and files that you have access to in Slack to include relevant information and convey your message clearly.
- Describe what you want AI to help you to write, or choose a prompt from the list to get started even more quickly.
- Security and integrity are at the core of the canvas AI writing experience. You can expect the same level of privacy and security as other AI features in Slack, and there are guardrails in place to prevent misuse.
Create a canvas
Describe what you want AI to write in your own words, or choose and customise a prompt. If you select a prompt, you may be asked to provide additional information before AI gets to work.
Start with a prompt
The key to creating a good prompt is in the details that you add and how specific you are. For example, ‘Draft an overview of the A1 Company Ltd. conference for the Marketing team using information from #2025-conference and #conference-presentations’ will result in a better draft than ‘Write an update about the A1 Company Ltd. conference.’
- From the Home tab, click Files in your sidebar. If you don’t see this option, click More to find it.
- Click New in the top-right corner and choose New canvas.
- Select Write with AI.
- Write a short description of the content that you want to generate, or choose a prompt from the list. If you’re writing your own prompt, please note that canvas AI is not able to access content from URLs.
- Depending on the prompt that you add or select, you may need to add more detail. For example, to draft a meeting agenda, it’s helpful for Slack to know which channel it will take place in, who will attend, etc.
- Click Send to generate the content.
Review and approve
Slack will generate content in response to your prompt. More complex prompts may take a few minutes, whereas simpler content will be generated more quickly. You can also use AI to edit content that you’ve already written or add sections to an existing canvas. Here’s what to expect:
- New content added to your canvas will be highlighted in blue, and formatting like headings, bold and italic text, and bullet points, will be applied automatically.
- Review the content, and click through to view any sources used. Messages will be linked with a number in brackets, and files (like other canvases, Lists, or third-party files from connected enterprise search data sources) will include the type of file alongside the source link. Click Sources to view a complete list.
- To save the content, click Keep. To start fresh, click Discard. If you want to keep the structure and existing content but make some changes, describe them in the Any changes? text field and press Enter.
Note: If you navigate away from your canvas before clicking Keep to save the content, it will be discarded and you’ll need to start again.
Share your canvas
- Click Share in the top-right corner.
- Type the name(s) of the people or channels that you want to share the canvas with, and choose whether they’ll have Can view or Can edit access.
- Add a message, if you like, then click Share.
- To send the link to others or embed the canvas in another canvas or document, click Copy link.
Content in your canvas that is based on private sources will be visible to people that you share it with, but they won’t be able to view the original messages or files linked in citations.
Edit or refine existing content
Once you have a first draft of your canvas, or if you want to edit a canvas that you already created, use AI to rewrite and refine.
- Open a canvas.
- Highlight the text that you want to change, then click Edit with AI. You can choose from the following options:
•Use a custom prompt
Describe the edits that you want AI to make in your own words.
•Quick edits
Ask AI to proofread, make text shorter or longer, change the tone or translate content into another language.
•Create additional content
Add a summary, create a checklist of action items or format content into a table.
Tip: Hover over a section of a canvas and click the sparkles to quickly access AI editing options.
FAQ
Why don’t I see the option to write with AI?
This feature is available on the new version of Business+ and the Enterprise+ subscription, and to any customers who are still using the legacy Slack AI add-on. If you’re on Pro or the old version of the Business+ subscription without the add-on, you’ll need to upgrade your workspace.
Additionally, owners and admins can disable access to AI features, so canvas writing assistance may be turned off for your workspace or Enterprise organisation.
What information can be used to create content?
When using AI to write or edit content, it can access all of the messages and files in Slack that you can. If you’re on the Enterprise+ subscription, you may also see information from connected enterprise search data sources like Google Drive or Asana. The LLMs used for this feature also have general knowledge, so you may see information added to your canvas that does not have a source. Content derived from messages or files in Slack will always have a source so that you can see the original information.
Which canvas formatting options are supported?
It’s not currently possible for AI to format content into profile cards, message cards or column layout.
Who can use this feature?
- All members (by default)
- Available on the Business+ and Enterprise+ subscriptions
- Available on the Pro, Business+ and Enterprise Grid subscriptions with the legacy Slack AI add-on