Buzz: Open-source, AI-enabled team chat aimed at Slack and GitHub - early-stage but Open by design

Block and Jack Dorsey launched Buzz, an open-source group chat platform designed for teams of humans and AI agents to work together in the same conversations. Buzz positions itself as a challenger to Slack and GitHub by merging team chat, built-in Git hosting, and automated workflows into a single workspace. The platform is model-agnostic, decentralized, and self-sovereign, with source code available on GitHub and desktop apps for macOS, Windows, and Linux.

What happened

Buzz was announced by Jack Dorsey on X, describing it as "model-agnostic, decentralized, self-sovereign, and open source." Built by Block, the company behind Square and Cash App, Buzz aims to reduce dependency on Slack and GitHub. The platform is in early beta at version 0.4.22, with desktop apps available now and mobile clients still unfinished. Source code is on GitHub under an Apache 2.0 license.

Why AI builders should care

Buzz treats AI agents as first-class members with their own accounts and permissions, not just chatbots. Agents can post messages, review code, and start automations. The platform is built on Nostr for cryptographic identity, with a second signature tying each agent to its human owner for a verifiable audit trail. Buzz is agent- and model-agnostic, working with Claude Code, OpenAI Codex, and Block's Goose framework via the Agent Client Protocol. This matters for builders who want a self-hosted, open workspace where agents operate alongside humans without vendor lock-in.

Practical implications

Buzz combines team chat with a built-in software forge for Git hosting. Feature branches become channels, and patches, CI results, and review comments are preserved alongside discussions. Teams can run their own Nostr relay or use Block's hosted option, currently free in beta. The open-source nature allows teams to customize and deploy features themselves. However, mobile clients and workflow approval gates are not yet complete, and hosted pricing has not been disclosed.

Caveats

Buzz is in early stages. The company has not shared adoption figures beyond its own use. Hosted pricing is undisclosed, and the platform lacks mobile support and some governance features. Competitors like Centaur (from Paradigm) are also pursuing similar open-source approaches. For teams heavily invested in Slack or GitHub, migration should be approached cautiously until Buzz matures.