Jack Dorsey, the co-founder of Twitter and Block, has launched Buzz, a free, open-source workplace platform designed to bring team communication, software development, and AI agents into one place.
Released by Block on July 21, Buzz combines familiar Slack-style features such as channels, threads, direct messages, voice, and media sharing with code repositories and automated workflows. It is positioned as an alternative to both Salesforce-owned Slack and Microsoft-owned GitHub, particularly for development teams working more alongside AI agents.
This comes amidst recent conversations on whether AI could replicate traditional CRM platforms through custom-built or “vibe-coded” alternatives. Now, Buzz may be applying the same pressure to Salesforce’s wider portfolio.
Could Open Source Challenge Slack’s AI Ambitions?
Buzz’s key difference compared to Slack is that AI agents are treated more like team members than optional chatbots.
Agents can join channels, interact with repositories, participate in workflows, and operate using their own cryptographic identities. Buzz is also model-agnostic, which means themes are not restricted to a single AI provider or model.
we're launching BUZZ!
— jack (@jack) July 21, 2026
a new groupchat platform for teams of people and agents of all sizes, built to reduce our dependency on slack and github. model-agnostic, decentralized, self-sovereign, and open source. 🐝https://t.co/8IaMVeTQNo
The platform is built on the decentralized Nostr protocol, while its source code is available under an Apache 2.0 license. This means organizations can host and modify their own version rather than depending entirely on a proprietary software provider.
This is where things get really interesting. Open source software seems to be having a bit of a moment in the enterprise space – whether it’s AI models, coding tools, or now workplace collaboration platforms, more companies are looking beyond the massive enterprise vendors in favour of software they can host themselves and tailor to their own needs.
For some it’s about cost, for others, flexibility. Rather than playing for a platform packed with features they’ll likely never use, open-source alternatives give businesses the freedom to build something that’s much more specific to how they want to work.
Naturally, this also comes with trade-offs worth considering. Running your own software means taking responsibility for security, updates, and maintenance. Buzz is also still in its infancy, so it has a lot to prove before enterprise teams seriously consider moving away from tools they’ve relied on for years.
Even so, its arrival is well-timed. After Salesforce acquired Slack for $27.7B back in 2021, it took a while for the long-term vision to become clear. But today, Slack sits at the heart of Salesforce’s AI strategy.
With Agentforce now integrated directly into Slack, the platform is evolving from a messaging app into a place where users interact with AI, customer data, business processes, and so on.
Just as Salesforce is starting to show all of this, Jack Dorsey unveils a high-profile alternative that’s designed around AI agents from the off.
We have reached out to Salesforce for comment.
Final Thoughts
Buzz isn’t likely to threaten Slack overnight, but the launch is another reminder of where the software industry may be heading. Businesses are becoming more open to flexible, AI-native tools, particularly if they offer more control or lower costs than traditional enterprise software.
Whether Buzz succeeds or not remains to be seen, but as Salesforce continues betting heavily on Slack as the future home of work, it’s now got another competitor to keep an eye on.
