Notion introduced a new developer platform during a livestreamed product announcement on Wednesday, enhancing its custom AI agents and enabling teams to build automated multistep workflows that connect with external databases. The company aims to position itself as a central hub for collaboration across various tools and databases, rather than just a note-taking application.
In February, Notion launched its Custom Agents, which handle repetitive tasks such as answering FAQs and compiling status updates. According to the company, more than 1 million Custom Agents have been created by users since the launch. However, these agents previously faced limitations, including the inability to connect with external data or utilize custom logic, forcing teams to rely on third-party automation platforms or custom scripts.
“It’s true that, historically, Notion hasn’t been the most developer-focused platform,” said Ivan Zhao, Notion co-founder and CEO. “But things are changing.” The new feature, called Workers, allows teams to deploy their custom code in a secure sandbox environment, enabling the syncing of data into Notion and the creation of automated tools without requiring external infrastructure.
Users are also able to leverage AI coding agents to write code, reducing the need for individual coding skills. Workers will operate under the same credit system as Custom Agents but will be free for experimentation until August. This allows developers to integrate databases, pulling data from any source with an API, including Salesforce and Zendesk.
“Use your Notion database as a sheer canvas to power both your workflows and your agents,” Zhao emphasized, highlighting the capabilities of the new functionality. Workers permit the creation of agent tools with custom logic for deeper integrations beyond the standard offerings.
The platform also introduces the ability to interact directly with external AI agents for assignments and progress tracking within Notion. At launch, the external agents supported include Claude Code, Cursor, Codex, and Decagon, with plans to expand the list. An External Agent API is available for teams looking to connect their internal agents with the Notion platform.
Interactions with the Developer Platform occur through the Notion CLI, a command-line tool, available under Business and Enterprise Plans. The Developer Platform marks Notion’s strategic shift towards a programmable workflow automation platform, aligning with broader trends among AI companies moving beyond basic chatbot functionalities to offer tools capable of acting across various software platforms.
“Any data, any tool, any agent — that’s the big picture for the Notion Developer Platform,” Zhao summarized.
