AI Automation Startup Relay Shuts Down, Staff Joins Google’s Chrome Team

In a surprising turn of events, Relay, an AI-powered workflow automation tool launched in 2021, has announced its shutdown. The company’s founder and CEO, Jacob Bank, revealed that the app will be shutting down access for paying customers on September 14, with free customers already losing access as of August 15.

Bank, who previously spent over six years at Google, will be rejoining the tech giant as VP of Product for Google Chrome. He will lead the product and developer relations teams for Chrome, where he aims to integrate AI into the browser to help users get more done.

‘I’ve spent my whole career doing one thing: building tools that help people get more done with AI, without sacrificing their personal creativity or insights,’ Bank said in a post on X. ‘And joining the Chrome team is an ideal opportunity to bring those experiences to many, many more people.’

Bank’s background in AI and automation is extensive, having previously worked on several projects, including the scheduling app Timeful, which was acquired by Google in 2015. At Google, he worked on various areas, including product lead for Gmail, Google Calendar, and Google Chat, before eventually leaving to launch Relay.

Similar to Timeful, Relay offered users productivity upgrades via workflow automation, allowing businesses to streamline repetitive tasks like document drafting and copyediting, as well as various project management tasks.

The move follows a steady path of AI integration into Google’s user experience. The integration of Gemini into search has fundamentally altered Google’s front end, not to mention the rest of the internet. Gemini has also been integrated into Chrome, where it serves as an optional in-browser assistant.

Overall, users seem to be responding well to these integrations, as Google recently reported that Gemini had crested 1 billion users.

Just how Bank and others plan to further integrate AI into Chrome is a hanging question, though Bank calls Chrome ‘a perfect place to collaborate with agents.’

The closure of Relay marks a significant shift in the AI automation space, with many startups struggling to compete with the likes of Zapier. However, with Bank’s expertise and Google’s backing, it will be interesting to see how the Chrome team takes AI automation to the next level.

As the AI landscape continues to evolve, one thing is clear: the future of automation is in the hands of the tech giants, and it will be exciting to see how they shape the industry.

In related news, Bank’s LinkedIn profile has been updated to reflect his new role at Google. He will be leading the product and developer relations teams for Chrome, where he aims to further integrate AI into the browser.

With Bank’s extensive experience in AI and automation, it’s clear that the Chrome team is in good hands. As the AI landscape continues to evolve, it will be exciting to see how the Chrome team takes AI automation to the next level.

As the news of Relay’s shutdown spreads, many in the tech community are left wondering what the future holds for AI automation. With Bank’s expertise and Google’s backing, it will be interesting to see how the Chrome team takes AI automation to the next level.

As the Chrome team continues to integrate AI into the browser, it’s clear that the future of automation is in the hands of the tech giants. It will be exciting to see how they shape the industry and what innovations they bring to the table.