Relay is closing its workflow automation service. Free accounts lost access on August 15, and paying customers are scheduled to lose access on September 14, according to a company notice described by TechCrunch on August 17. Relay had first announced its closure in July.
Founder and CEO Jacob Bank is returning to Google as vice president of product for Chrome, where he will lead the browser's product and developer relations teams. Some Relay employees are joining Google too. Bank has spoken about helping people get work done with AI in Chrome, but he has not announced a new Chrome feature built from Relay or a way to transfer Relay workflows.
Relay let people automate repetitive tasks such as drafting documents and coordinating projects. Its closure leaves paying users with a specific deadline to replace automations they still depend on.