Relay, the AI‑driven workflow automation platform launched in 2021 to rival Zapier, announced it will cease operations. Paying customers will lose access on September 14, while free users were already locked out as of August 15. The shutdown was first hinted at in July.
Founder and CEO Jacob Bank, who spent over six years at Google before starting Relay, disclosed that he is rejoining the search giant as Vice President of Product for Chrome. In a post on X, Bank said his career has focused on building tools that boost productivity with AI, and that Chrome offers a “perfect place to collaborate with agents.” He will oversee product and developer relations for the browser.
Relay’s offering let businesses automate repetitive tasks such as document drafting, copyediting, and project management, echoing Bank’s earlier startup Timeful, which Google acquired. The move dovetails with Google’s broader AI push, including Gemini’s integration into Chrome and a reported billion‑user milestone. How Bank plans to weave AI deeper into Chrome remains to be seen.
