Issue #3

How One CEO Multiplied His Impact with 40+ AI Agents

Ever wonder what happens when someone actually runs an entire marketing department with AI agents? My guest this week, Jacob Bank, is doing exactly that.

I'm thrilled to share the second podcast episode of the “Automate Yourself” podcast, featuring Jacob Bank, CEO of Relay.app and former Google Product Management director. Jacob’s journey from academia to leading AI-driven innovations across multiple startups and Big Tech shares a lot of insight around how to approach the future with AI with excitement.

Listen to the full episode at:

Scale Yourself with AI Emplo...

Sep 18 · Automate Yourself

27:15

Find it on Youtube at:

What You'll Learn:

AI as a Productivity Multiplier: Jacob shared how he runs his entire marketing department with just himself and a team of 40+ AI agents. Imagine the possibilities of multiplying your productivity and focusing on high-impact work!
Evolution of Productivity Tools: From his time at Google working on Gmail and Google Calendar to founding Relay.app, Jacob has seen firsthand how productivity tools have evolved. The future? Tools that don’t just help you do work but actually do the work for you.

AI Employees: Jacob’s concept of decomposing jobs into AI agents that collaborate changes how we think about orchestrating AI teams. Instead of automating single tasks or replacing entire roles, think of creating “mini-employees” focused on specific tasks.
Human Skills in an AI World: As AI takes over routine tasks, human skills like strategic insight, personal connection, and nuanced judgment become even more valuable. Jacob emphasizes the importance of leveraging your unique strengths alongside AI.
Strategic AI Use: Instead of getting stuck on what AI can do today, think about what you might hire a contractor to do if you had an infinite budget. This abstract thinking can help you identify where AI can be most effective.
Experimenting with AI: Advice for those feeling overwhelmed by AI’s impact on jobs? Start experimenting with cutting-edge AI tools. Don’t just read about them. Use them. This hands-on approach is crucial for staying ahead.

Jacob's approach reveals something crucial about the age of AI: it's not about replacement, it's about reinvention. By automating yourself out of your current role, you create space for new, more meaningful work. The winners in this new era will be those who:

Embrace automation as a tool for growth, not a threat.
Invest in uniquely human skills and relationships.
Experiment boldly and learn continuously.
Redefine their roles to leverage both AI and their own strengths.

If you're a product manager, engineer, or professional wondering how AI will change your role, Jacob's approach offers a blueprint: Don't wait for AI to automate you. Start automating yourself first.

Ask yourself: If you could automate away 30% of your current tasks, what higher-impact activities would you pursue?

Thanks for being part of this journey. Remember, the future belongs to those who proactively embrace change and automate themselves into it.

Best,
Dina

P.S. The #1 question I get: "Where do I even start with AI automation?" In the next newsletter, I'm sharing my step-by-step framework for identifying your first automation opportunity. Stay tuned.

Find Jacob Bank and Relay.app online:
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/jacobbank
YouTube: youtube.com/@relayapp

Listen to the full episode:
🎧 Listen on Spotify, Apple
📺 Watch on YouTube

Want to go deeper?
The Automate Yourself newsletter shares practical guides, real-world automation stories, and mindset shifts to help you turn uncertainty about AI into opportunity. Share this publication with someone who's interested in automation and the AI future at: newsletter.chillaborate.com. I’ll send you real automation wins, practical tools, and mindset shifts to help you turn uncertainty into opportunity.

Want to apply these ideas to your world? Whether you're figuring out which tasks to automate first or repositioning yourself as an AI-savvy leader, I'm opening a few 1:1 coaching spots this month to help you build your strategy. Book a session below: