A prominent tech CEO is calling on Anthropic to create a Slack competitor that would address the growing frustration with closed data policies in enterprise collaboration tools. The argument centers on how Slack has become the de facto repository of company knowledge through its message history, yet maintains restrictive data access that prevents AI integration. This creates a paradox where businesses need AI agents to access their most valuable communication data but can't.

Current AI tools like Claude lack group conversation capabilities, forcing users to manually copy-paste between platforms. The article argues that Slack's dominance isn't as secure as believed, citing high pricing and limited network effects beyond basic partner channels. Companies pay nearly as much for Slack as for comprehensive suites like G Suite, despite using it for far fewer functions.

The proposed solution involves bundling a new collaboration platform with Claude access, creating a compelling package that would drive AI adoption even among skeptics. The author emphasizes that Anthropic's principled stance on data access makes it uniquely positioned to commit to open interoperability. A successful alternative would force Slack to reconsider its closed API approach, potentially transforming the entire enterprise data ecosystem.