Unleashing Productivity with AI Agents: Insights from Jacob Bank on Product Led Growth Leaders

In this episode of Product Led Growth Leaders, host Thomas Watkins welcomes Jacob Bank, Founder and CEO of Relay.app, to discuss how AI agents are changing the way we think about productivity, delegation, and work automation. With a background in data, AI, and product development—and as the former co-founder of Timeful—Jacob breaks down how AI is evolving beyond simple task tools to become trusted teammates. This episode is a must-listen for growth-minded founders and product leaders looking to streamline workflows, increase output, and free up creative bandwidth by embracing the next generation of intelligent automation.

From Research Labs to Product-Led Innovation

Jacob’s career began in academia, where he pursued a PhD at Stanford before leaving to co-found Timeful, an intelligent calendar acquired by Google. That experience laid the foundation for Relay.app, his latest venture built around AI agents that can operate autonomously across workflows. Unlike typical SaaS tools that require human input every step of the way, these agents function more like digital coworkers, capable of independently handling follow-ups, drafting communications, and summarizing meetings. Jacob explains this shift as not just a tech advancement but a mindset change—one where founders learn to delegate to AI the same way they would to a smart intern.

This reframing is key: instead of building another dashboard or app, Relay empowers users to offload actual execution. By using visual workflows and clear instructions, anyone—regardless of technical expertise—can build an AI assistant to manage their repetitive tasks. Jacob encourages listeners to ask themselves: “If I had a limitless intern budget, what would I offload?” That’s the opportunity space where AI agents thrive.

Relay isn’t just for large teams. It’s built with scalability in mind, allowing individual founders and lean startups to punch above their weight. Through its “Build With Me” sessions hosted weekly by Jacob himself, users can co-create tailored agents that save time and improve operational focus from day one.

About Jacob Bank

Jacob Bank is the Founder and CEO of Relay.app. A serial entrepreneur with deep expertise in AI, product, and design, Jacob previously co-founded Timeful, which was acquired by Google. He is passionate about redefining productivity through human-first AI experiences.

About Relay.app

Relay.app empowers users to build AI agents that autonomously execute tasks like follow-ups, meeting prep, and workflow coordination—no coding required. Designed for lean teams and busy professionals, Relay blends intuitive interfaces with smart automation to boost productivity.

Links mentioned in this episode

• Jacob Bank on LinkedIn

• Relay.app Official Website

Conclusion

This episode shines a light on the powerful intersection of product-led thinking and AI innovation. Jacob Bank’s journey illustrates how founders can use AI agents not just to save time—but to rethink how work gets done altogether. Whether you're building a startup, scaling a team, or simply want to reclaim your calendar, AI agents offer a new blueprint for productivity.

Key episode highlights:

• Why AI agents are shifting from tool to teammate

• How Relay lets users build task-specific AI agents without code

• A simple mindset trick to identify what tasks to delegate to AI

• The difference between SaaS and autonomous workflows

• How product leaders can get started through weekly “Build With Me” sessions

Curious how top product leaders are using AI to scale smarter?

Discover more insights, tools, and strategies at 3leaf.consulting—where product-led growth meets execution.

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