Smarter issue summaries are coming to Backlog with the AI Assistant
We’re excited to announce that the official Backlog AI Assistant will be released on March 5, 2026. With this update, you’ll be able to quickly summarize issues—making it easier than ever to catch up on discussions and move work forward with confidence.
Instantly summarize issues and comments
Long comment threads can slow you down. Whether you’re jumping back into a task after time away or collaborating across teams, scanning every reply takes time.
The “Summarize” button next to the issue subject will now automatically launch the AI Assistant generate a clear summary of:
- The issue description
- All comments exchanged so far
This helps you quickly understand the latest context, align with your team, and make decisions without missing key details.
Transitioning from the OpenAI-powered beta feature
As part of this release, we will discontinue the beta version of AI summarization powered by OpenAI on March 5, 2026.
The OpenAI-integrated summarization feature was first introduced as a beta in November 2023 and has supported many teams in streamlining issue reviews. With the launch of the official Backlog AI Assistant, we’re moving to a more integrated and enhanced experience built directly into Backlog.
What happens to your OpenAI API key?
If you previously configured an OpenAI API key for the beta feature:
- Your API key will be automatically deleted after the feature is deprecated
- No action is required on your part
Plan availability
Previously, the OpenAI-powered AI summarization feature was available across all plans during its beta phase. With the official release, the Backlog AI Assistant will be available exclusively on the Premium plan and above.
If you’d like to continue using AI-powered issue summaries in the Backlog web app, please consider upgrading to the Premium plan or higher.