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Build a Slack AI Bot with OpenClaw (2026 Guide)

Transform your Slack workspace with an intelligent AI assistant powered by OpenClaw

Slack is the communication hub for millions of teams worldwide. By integrating OpenClaw with Slack, you can create a powerful AI bot that answers questions, automates workflows, summarizes conversations, and helps your team work smarter — all within the familiar Slack interface.

Unlike generic chatbots, an OpenClaw-powered Slack bot runs on your own infrastructure, keeping sensitive company data private. It supports multiple AI providers (OpenAI, Anthropic, local models), making it flexible and cost-effective for teams of any size.

What You'll Build

  • A Slack bot that responds to mentions and direct messages with AI-generated answers
  • Custom slash commands for specific tasks (summarize, translate, analyze)
  • Thread-aware conversations that maintain context
  • Private deployment with full data control

Setup Guide

1

Step 1: Install OpenClaw

First, set up OpenClaw on your server. You can use Docker for the quickest setup:

docker pull openclaw/openclaw:latest
docker run -d --name openclaw -p 8080:8080 openclaw/openclaw:latest

Or install directly on your machine following the Quick Start Guide. OpenClaw supports Linux, macOS, and Windows.

2

Step 2: Create a Slack App

Go to api.slack.com/apps and click "Create New App":

  1. Choose "From scratch" and name your app (e.g., "OpenClaw AI")
  2. Select your workspace
  3. Under "OAuth & Permissions", add these Bot Token Scopes:
    • app_mentions:read — to respond when mentioned
    • chat:write — to send messages
    • channels:history — to read conversation context
    • im:history — to handle direct messages
  4. Install the app to your workspace and copy the Bot User OAuth Token
3

Step 3: Configure OpenClaw Channel

In your OpenClaw configuration, add a Slack channel. Edit openclaw.json:

{
  "channels": [
    {
      "type": "slack",
      "name": "my-slack-bot",
      "token": "xoxb-your-bot-token",
      "signing_secret": "your-signing-secret",
      "default_skill": "chat"
    }
  ]
}

The signing_secret is found in your Slack app's "Basic Information" page. It verifies that incoming requests are genuinely from Slack.

4

Step 4: Set Up Event Subscriptions

In your Slack app settings, go to "Event Subscriptions":

  1. Enable Events and set the Request URL to: https://your-server.com/api/slack/events
  2. Subscribe to these bot events:
    • app_mention — triggers when someone @mentions your bot
    • message.im — triggers for direct messages
  3. Save changes

OpenClaw will automatically verify the URL challenge from Slack. Make sure your server is publicly accessible (use ngrok for local development).

5

Step 5: Configure AI Skills

Customize how your bot responds by configuring OpenClaw Skills:

{
  "skills": {
    "chat": {
      "provider": "openai",
      "model": "gpt-4",
      "system_prompt": "You are a helpful team assistant.",
      "max_tokens": 1000
    },
    "summarize": {
      "provider": "anthropic",
      "model": "claude-3-sonnet",
      "system_prompt": "Summarize the following conversation concisely."
    }
  }
}

You can create multiple skills and route different Slack commands to different AI providers for optimal cost and performance.

6

Step 6: Test and Deploy

Restart OpenClaw to apply the configuration:

docker restart openclaw
  1. Go to your Slack workspace and invite the bot to a channel: /invite @OpenClaw AI
  2. Mention the bot: @OpenClaw AI what is our refund policy?
  3. Try a direct message for private queries
  4. Monitor logs: docker logs -f openclaw

For production deployment, use a process manager or Docker Compose with auto-restart. See our Deployment Guide for best practices.

Use Cases

Customer Support Triage

Automatically answer common questions in #support channels, escalating complex issues to human agents.

Knowledge Base Q&A

Connect your docs and let team members ask questions in natural language — no more searching through wikis.

Meeting Summarizer

Paste meeting notes or long threads and get concise summaries with action items.

Code Review Assistant

Mention the bot in #engineering to get quick code explanations, bug analysis, or refactoring suggestions.

Quick Configuration

{
  "gateway": { "mode": "local" },
  "ai": { "provider": "openai", "model": "gpt-4" },
  "channels": [
    {
      "type": "slack",
      "name": "team-assistant",
      "token": "xoxb-xxx",
      "signing_secret": "xxx"
    }
  ]
}

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the Slack bot free to use?

OpenClaw is open-source and free. You only pay for the AI provider API calls (OpenAI, Anthropic, etc.). For teams wanting zero cost, you can use local models like Llama or Mistral with Ollama.

Can I use the bot in private channels?

Yes. Invite the bot to any private channel and it will respond to mentions just like in public channels. Direct messages are also fully supported.

Does the bot store our Slack messages?

No. OpenClaw processes messages in real-time and does not store conversation history by default. All data stays on your server.

Can I connect multiple AI providers?

Absolutely. OpenClaw supports routing different skills to different providers. Use GPT-4 for complex reasoning and a lighter model for simple Q&A to optimize costs.

Ready to Build Your AI Bot?

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Get Started with OpenClaw

Related Resources

Quick Start Guide →AI Skills Configuration →AI Agent Directory →