Slack's app-integration era (2015-2018)
Slack popularized the idea that daily work tools could live inside a single chat interface through app integrations. Teams stopped switching between windows and instead pulled data and actions into the conversation where decisions happened.
Software vendors rushed to build Slack integrations to stay relevant in team workflows.
Chat-based interfaces became central to how many teams coordinate, and integration depth became a competitive feature.
MCP does for AI workflows what Slack integrations did for chat: it pulls tools into the interface where work happens, and vendors that integrate early gain distribution.
