In a strategic move, Salesforce has updated Slack’s Terms of Service to prevent third-party AI firms from indexing, copying, or storing Slack messages long-term—even when customers explicitly authorize it .
Slack, a Salesforce – owned workplace messaging app, has quietly changed Slack’s rules to block other AI companies from copying or storing its messages long-term—even if Slack users give them permission.
The move, first reported by The Information, is part of a growing fight over data in the race to build powerful artificial intelligence. Salesforce, which owns Slack, now says that third-party apps can only look at Slack data for a short time. Then they must delete it.
This new policy means other companies can’t search through or keep records of Slack messages, even if their customers want them to. Salesforce says it’s doing this to protect users’ privacy. But many in the tech world believe there’s another reason: to stop competitors from using Slack’s data to train their own AI systems.
According to Reuters, Slack is used by millions of people every day to send messages, share files, and work together. That means it holds a goldmine of real business conversations—exactly the kind of content AI companies want for training their models.
By keeping that data for itself, Salesforce could gain an edge as it builds its own AI tools. The company is trying to move beyond traditional cloud software and become a major player in AI. CEO Marc Benioff has made it clear that artificial intelligence is a top priority. He wants Salesforce to lead the next wave of AI-powered business technology.
This change comes at a time when many AI companies are being criticized for how they collect and use data. Governments and watchdogs are asking hard questions about whether AI training respects privacy and consent.
In this context, Salesforce’s decision sends a clear message: if you want access to valuable business data, don’t expect to get it from Slack. The company is locking it down, protecting its turf, and playing for keeps in the battle for AI dominance.
So far, Salesforce hasn’t made any public comments about the new rules. That leaves customers and competitors wondering how far the company will go to protect its data—and how the rest of the industry will respond.
For now, the big question is how customers will respond. Will they accept tighter controls on data they generate themselves? Or will they push back against the idea that their workplace conversations are being locked down for one company’s competitive gain?
