Relay winds down

Relay.app, an AI automation startup focused on work workflows, is shutting down its product as its staff moves into Google's Chrome organization. The company has turned off new signups and free-to-paid upgrades, according to its shutdown notice, while existing paying customers can keep using the service until September 14, 2026.

The notice says customers can export their data now. Relay also says subscriptions have been cancelled, monthly customers will not be charged again, and annual customers will receive prorated refunds for the unused portion of their plans.

TechCrunch reported that Relay founder and CEO Jacob Bank said the team has "ambitious plans" to help people work with AI in Chrome. The report frames the move as a staff transition into Google rather than a continuing standalone product.

The shutdown is a small but notable signal in the browser AI race. Google has been adding more Gemini features across Chrome and Workspace, while independent automation products face pressure from platform owners that can wire assistants directly into tabs, accounts, and documents. That makes Chrome a more important distribution point for everyday AI tasks. For Relay users, the near-term issue is practical: export workflows before access ends, then replace any automations that depended on the hosted service.