Hangouts Chat is an updated version of Google Hangouts redesigned for business use and integrated into the G Suite of business apps. Positioned as an alternative to Slack, Hangouts Chat aims to enhance online collaboration and communication between team members anywhere in the world.

Google app integration

On its own, Hangouts Chat is comparable to other team messenger services: It can be used as a instant messenger or as a project-based communication tool with virtual rooms dedicated to each project or task. Where Hangouts shines is its integration with existing Google products. As a G Suite App, Hangouts Chat works seamlessly with Google Drive, Docs, Sheets, Slides, Calendar and Google’s video conferencing app, Hangouts Meet. It also supports up to 8,000 users per room, making it appropriate for both small and large-scale projects. However, the growing number of communication tools from Google – including Hangouts Chat, Hangouts Meet, Allo, Duo and the legacy Hangouts app – may leave some users confused as to which app they should be using.

Enhance your workflow with artificial intelligence

With Hangouts Chat, Google has leveraged its artificial intelligence capabilities to create “bots” that can be used to automate repetitive tasks. These automated programs perform specific actions when you interact with them in the chat interface. For example, you might ask a bot to plan a meeting, and it will interface with Google Calendar to add it to the team schedule – it can even book the meeting room. Google will undoubtedly continue to develop this feature, so it’s something to watch for in future releases.