Notion introduced a new developer platform during a livestreamed event, enhancing the functionality of its custom AI agents and enabling the creation of automated workflows that can source data from any database. This platform features an orchestration layer designed to manage AI tasks across various tools and databases, positioning Notion as a central hub for collaboration involving human users and AI agents.
The company launched its Custom Agents in February, which perform repetitive tasks such as answering FAQs and automating workflows. Since then, over 1 million agents have been created by users, according to Notion. However, these agents faced limitations, including the inability to connect to external data or use custom logic, requiring teams to depend on third-party automation solutions or custom scripts.
“It’s true that, historically, Notion hasn’t been the most developer-focused platform,” said Ivan Zhao, co-founder and CEO of Notion. He acknowledged the shift in strategy towards empowering developers with custom code deployment capabilities. The new feature, called Workers, is a cloud-based environment that lets users execute their own code within a secure sandbox, allowing them to sync data into Notion, create custom tools, and utilize webhooks for automation without relying on external systems.
Developers can take advantage of these Workers free of charge until August, allowing for experimentation. The platform also includes a database sync feature that pulls data from various sources with APIs, such as Salesforce and Zendesk, keeping users’ Notion databases up to date. Zhao highlighted this change by stating users can now “use your Notion database as a sheer canvas to power both your workflows and your agents.”
Notion’s platform also enables users to chat with external AI agents as if they were custom agents within Notion, assigning tasks and monitoring progress. Initially, supported external partners include Claude Code, Cursor, Codex, and Decagon. An External Agent API is available for teams wishing to integrate their internal agents with the Notion workspace.
The Notion Developer Platform is accessible through the Notion CLI, which is available in Business and Enterprise Plans. This development marks a strategic pivot for Notion, evolving from a productivity application to a programmable platform and aligning with industry trends where AI companies expand their offerings beyond mere chatbots.
“Any data, any tool, any agent — that’s the big picture for the Notion Developer Platform,” Zhao stated.
