Chainlink has launched the open beta of Chainlink Automation, a decentralized service designed to automate and maintain smart contract functions across decentralized applications (dApps) and decentralized autonomous organizations (DAOs). The service aims to enhance cost efficiency and decentralization for DevOps teams, ensuring the smooth operation of critical on-chain functions without requiring additional trust layers. Initially available for Ethereum smart contracts, Chainlink Automation uses the same experienced node operators as Chainlink's price feeds, ensuring reliability and security. It addresses the challenge of automating smart contract execution by providing a decentralized mechanism to trigger contract actions based on time, events, or computations. Through this service, Chainlink seeks to bolster the infrastructure of the DeFi and smart contract ecosystem, offering developers a trust-minimized and cost-effective solution for contract maintenance. The open beta invites user feedback to refine the service further, with the goal of creating a robust off-chain service for highly automated hybrid smart contracts.