Relay Shuts Down as Staff Join Google Chrome Team to Push AI Automation

Relay's AI assistant tool, which helped users automate tasks without setting up strict step-by-step rules, is shutting down. The company behind Relay, founded in 2021, has announced that it will cease operations and give customers a month to save their data before deleting it on September 14.

The shutdown comes as several of Relay's staff members, including CEO Jacob Bank, have joined Google's Chrome team. Bank is taking over the role of VP of Product for Google Chrome, overseeing product and developer relations. He has experience working at Google, having built his career around the company's productivity tools and leading the development of Gmail, Calendar, and Chat.

The hiring of Relay's staff by Google suggests that the tech giant sees automated workflows as part of the browser's future. Chrome is already installed on billions of devices, giving it a massive user base to tap into for its AI-powered features. Gemini, an AI assistant built by Google, has recently passed 1 billion users and can navigate websites and complete multi-step tasks.

The shutdown of Relay may be seen as a sign that having more users always beats having a better product. The company's staff is now working on integrating their expertise into Google Chrome, which could potentially become a major player in the AI automation market.