Relay, an AI-powered workflow automation startup founded in 2021, is shutting down its operations, with its core staff and founder Jacob Bank moving to Google’s Chrome team. Paid users will lose access in mid-September following initial closure announcements made over the summer.
Jacob Bank, a former Google executive who previously sold his startup Timeful to the company, returns as Vice President of Product for Google Chrome. In his new role, he will oversee product development and developer relations, aiming to scale his vision of helping users accomplish tasks efficiently with the help of artificial intelligence.
This acquihire strategy highlights Google’s ongoing efforts to deeply embed AI capabilities into its ecosystem and browser experience. As Google continues expanding features like Gemini—which recently crossed one billion users—the integration of Relay’s talent paves the way for advanced AI agents and smarter workflow automation directly inside Chrome.
- AI automation startup Relay is officially shutting down its platform.
- Founder and CEO Jacob Bank rejoins Google as VP of Product for Chrome.
- The move signals Google’s intent to embed advanced AI agents into the browser.
- Google’s Gemini has recently surpassed one billion active users globally.
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