Relay shuts down as its CEO and staff join Google Chrome team

In short: Relay, a startup that helped businesses automate routine work, is shutting down and its founder and some staff are joining Google’s Chrome team.

What happened

Relay launched in 2021 as an “AI-powered workflow automation” tool. In simple terms, it helped companies set up repeatable steps for common tasks, like drafting documents or cleaning up writing, similar to an assembly line for office work.

Relay founder and CEO Jacob Bank said the product will stop working for paying customers on September 14. Free customers already lost access on August 15. The shutdown was first announced in July.

Bank also said he is returning to Google. According to his LinkedIn profile, he will become VP of Product for Google Chrome, the web browser, and lead Chrome’s product and developer relations teams. Bank wrote on X that Google has “ambitious plans to help you work with AI in Chrome to get things done,” and that he will share more soon.

Bank previously worked at Google for more than six years. He joined after Google acquired his earlier scheduling startup, Timeful. At Google, he worked on products including Gmail, Google Calendar, and Google Chat before leaving to start Relay.

Why it matters

For Relay customers, the practical impact is straightforward: the service is ending, so teams will need to move their automated processes elsewhere. For everyday Chrome users, the bigger story is what comes next. Google has been adding more AI features to its products, including an optional Gemini assistant inside Chrome (like a built-in helper that can answer questions while you browse), and Bank’s move suggests Google plans to keep expanding that.

Source: TechCrunch AI