Claude Apps Launch: Slack, Canva & More Now Work Inside Anthropic’s AI
Anthropic just made its AI assistant significantly more powerful—and practical—for professionals. Starting January 26, 2026, Claude Apps are live, letting Pro, Team, and Enterprise users interact with workplace tools like Slack, Canva, Figma, Box, and Clay directly inside the Claude chat interface. This means you can send a Slack message, pull a file from Box, or generate a design in Canva—all without leaving your conversation with Claude. The integration is built on the open Model Context Protocol (MCP), signaling a new era of AI that doesn’t just talk, but acts.
Credit: Google
Why Claude Apps Change the Game for Knowledge Workers
For years, AI assistants have been limited to answering questions or summarizing documents. But real-world work happens across dozens of apps—messaging platforms, design suites, cloud storage, CRM systems. Until now, switching between them broke flow and wasted time.
With Claude Apps, Anthropic bridges that gap. Imagine asking Claude to “share the Q4 budget chart with the marketing team in Slack”—and it does, pulling the latest file from Box, generating a clean visual in Canva, and posting it in the right channel. That’s not hypothetical; it’s what this launch enables today.
This isn’t just automation—it’s contextual collaboration. Claude understands your request, accesses authorized tools, and executes actions with human oversight. For enterprise teams drowning in app-switching fatigue, that’s a productivity lifeline.
How It Works: Secure, Logged-In, and Permission-Aware
Security is non-negotiable in enterprise AI, and Anthropic gets that. Each integrated app requires explicit user authorization. When you enable Slack, for example, Claude accesses only your logged-in session—no backdoor, no data hoarding. Permissions mirror what you already have in each service.
The system uses Model Context Protocol (MCP), an open standard co-developed by Anthropic and OpenAI in 2024. MCP ensures that third-party apps can safely expose specific functions to AI models without compromising user data. Think of it as a secure API handshake designed specifically for intelligent agents.
Once enabled via claude.ai/directory, apps appear as interactive cards within your chat. Click one, and you can preview or confirm actions before they execute—keeping you in control at all times.
The First Wave: Slack, Canva, Figma, Box, and Clay
Anthropic’s initial lineup reflects deep insight into modern digital workflows:
- Slack: Send messages, share files, or summarize channel activity—all via natural language prompts.
- Canva: Generate social graphics, presentations, or infographics based on your brand guidelines.
- Figma: Create UI mockups or iterate on design specs without opening the design tool.
- Box: Retrieve, summarize, or share documents stored in your enterprise cloud.
- Clay: Enrich customer profiles or build targeted outreach lists using real-time data.
A Salesforce integration is already in testing and expected to roll out in Q1 2026, which will supercharge sales and support teams by letting Claude pull account details, log calls, or draft follow-ups on the fly.
These aren’t gimmicks. They’re carefully chosen tools that cover communication, creation, storage, and relationship management—the core pillars of knowledge work.
Built for Teams, Not Just Individuals
While individual power users will benefit, Claude Apps truly shine in team environments. Enterprise and Team plan subscribers can configure shared app access, ensuring consistent workflows across departments.
For example, a product manager could ask Claude to “update the roadmap slide in our weekly deck using the latest Figma prototype and share it in the #product-updates Slack channel.” Behind the scenes, Claude coordinates across three apps—but to the user, it’s one seamless request.
This reduces meeting load, cuts down on status-update emails, and accelerates decision cycles. In fast-moving tech or enterprise settings, that speed translates directly to competitive advantage.
How This Compares to OpenAI’s App Ecosystem
You might recall OpenAI launched its own interactive Apps in October 2025, also built on MCP. While the underlying protocol is shared, Anthropic’s approach leans harder into enterprise readiness.
Where OpenAI’s early integrations favored consumer and developer tools, Anthropic prioritized B2B SaaS platforms from day one. Additionally, Claude’s emphasis on constitutional AI principles—transparency, harm avoidance, and user control—extends into how these apps behave. Every action is explainable, reversible, and permission-bound.
That philosophy matters when you’re dealing with sensitive customer data or regulated workflows. Anthropic isn’t just chasing features—it’s building trust through design.
Real-World Use Cases Already Emerging
Early adopters are reporting dramatic efficiency gains. One marketing director told us she cut her campaign prep time in half: “Instead of toggling between Canva, Slack, and Google Drive, I just tell Claude what I need. It drafts copy, designs banners, and posts them for review—all while I sip my coffee.”
In engineering, teams use Figma + Claude to turn bug reports into annotated mockups. In HR, managers pull employee records from Box and draft personalized onboarding messages via Slack—all without exposing raw data to the AI.
These aren’t futuristic fantasies. They’re happening right now in companies using Claude Team and Enterprise plans.
Availability and Access: Who Can Use It?
Claude Apps are not available to free-tier users. You’ll need a Pro, Max, Team, or Enterprise subscription to activate them. This aligns with Anthropic’s strategy of monetizing high-value, workflow-integrated AI for professionals and organizations.
To get started, visit claude.ai/directory and toggle on the apps you use daily. Each integration walks you through a secure OAuth flow—just like connecting any new SaaS tool.
Admins on Team and Enterprise plans can manage app permissions centrally, ensuring compliance with internal IT policies. Expect granular controls to expand in coming months as more apps join the ecosystem.
What’s Next: An Open, Interoperable AI Future
Anthropic’s bet on MCP as an open standard could reshape how we think about AI assistants. Instead of walled gardens, we’re moving toward a world where your AI works across any tool you authorize—regardless of vendor.
Future updates may include deeper two-way sync (e.g., Claude not just sending Slack messages but reacting to them), real-time collaboration features, and integrations with vertical-specific platforms like ServiceNow or Workday.
Critically, because MCP is open, developers can build their own Claude-compatible apps. That could unleash a wave of innovation—imagine niche tools for legal e-discovery, clinical trial coordination, or supply chain logistics, all controllable via natural language.
AI That Finally Fits Into Your Workflow
For too long, AI felt like a separate layer—something you consulted, then manually acted upon. Claude Apps erase that boundary. By embedding trusted workplace tools directly into the chat experience, Anthropic delivers on the promise of AI as a true collaborator, not just a smart speaker for your desktop.
If you’re a professional drowning in tabs, notifications, and fragmented workflows, this update is your lifeline. And if you lead a team, it’s a chance to reclaim hours lost to context switching.
The future of work isn’t about replacing humans—it’s about giving them smarter, safer, and more seamless ways to get things done. With Claude Apps, that future just got a lot closer.
