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Show HN: AI Subroutines – Run automation scripts inside your browser tab

31 points by arjunchint ago | 5 comments
We built AI Subroutines in rtrvr.ai. Record a browser task once, save it as a callable tool, replay it at: zero token cost, zero LLM inference delay, and zero mistakes.

The subroutine itself is a deterministic script composed of discovered network calls hitting the site's backend as well as page interactions like click/type/find.

The key architectural decision: the script executes inside the webpage itself, not through a proxy, not in a headless worker, not out of process. The script dispatches requests from the tab's execution context, so auth, CSRF, TLS session, and signed headers get added to all requests and propagate for free. No certificate installation, no TLS fingerprint modification, no separate auth stack to maintain.

During recording, the extension intercepts network requests (MAIN-world fetch/XHR patch + webRequest fallback). We score and trim ~300 requests down to ~5 based on method, timing relative to DOM events, and origin. Volatile GraphQL operation IDs are detected and force a DOM-only fallback before they break silently on the next run.

The generated code combines network calls with DOM actions (click, type, find) in the same function via an rtrvr.* helper namespace. Point the agent at a spreadsheet of 500 rows and with just one LLM call parameters are assigned and 500 Subroutines kicked off.

Key use cases:

- record sending IG DM, then have reusable and callable routine to send DMs at zero token cost

- create routine getting latest products in site catalog, call it to get thousands of products via direct graphql queries

- setup routine to file EHR form based on parameters to the tool, AI infers parameters from current page context and calls tool

- reuse routine daily to sync outbound messages on LinkedIn/Slack/Gmail to a CRM using a MCP server

We see the fundamental reason that browser agents haven't taken off is that for repetitive tasks going through the inference loop is unnecessary. Better to just record once, and get the LLM to generate a script leveraging all the possible ways to interact with a site and the wider web like directly calling backed API's, interacting with the DOM, and calling 3P tools/APIs/MCP servers.

JSR_FDED |next [-]

Maybe there’s a middle ground where a small local model can roll with the variations in a site that would break a script, while saving the per token costs?

amelius |next |previous [-]

The problem: I don't trust extensions one bit.

rvz |next |previous [-]

Aren't there just many ways for the website to just break the automation?

Does this work on sites that have protection against LLMs such as captchas, LLM tarpits and PoW challenges?

I just see this as a never ending cat and mouse game.

arjunchint |root |parent |next [-]

The bigger goal is to build and maintain a global library of popular automations. Users can also quickly re-record and recreate the scripts to update.

Since it runs inside your own browser, there should be no captchas or challenges. On failure it can fallback to our regular web agent that can solve captchas.

Big picture wise with the launch of Mythos it might just become impossible for websites to keep up, and they will have to go like Salesforce and just expose APIs for everything.

acoyfellow |root |parent |previous [-]

It is. They are saying “we are willing to chase the mouse for you for money”.

ashish004 |next |previous [-]

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quarkcarbon279 |previous [-]

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