Key facts
- AI assistant startup Instinct raised $1 billion in a Series C round.
- Instinct is now valued at $10 billion.
- The company's Series C round was led by Sequoia Capital, Benchmark Capital, and Coatue.
- Instinct's service launched in August 2026.
- Instinct's AI agent can perform tasks like booking travel, making reservations, and paying bills.
- Instinct's "concierge" feature can make phone calls for users.
Instinct, an AI assistant startup, has secured $1 billion in a Series C funding round, propelling its valuation to $10 billion. This significant achievement comes just one month after the company's previous funding round that valued it at $2.5 billion. The rapid fundraising underscores the intense investor interest in a new generation of AI agents designed to perform real-world tasks for users, such as booking travel, managing appointments, and making purchases.
Instinct's AI agent operates using its own phone number and computer to execute tasks. Recent feature rollouts include a "concierge" service capable of making phone calls for appointment management and a "trusted person network" that enables agents to coordinate plans among friends. However, the extensive capabilities raise privacy concerns among some users regarding the disclosure of personal information, although the company has since updated its initial privacy policy.
The company faces growing competition, notably from Meta's AI assistant, Muse, which offers similar functionalities and integrates deeply with Meta's social media platforms. Muse has seen millions of downloads and topped app store charts, while Instinct, which communicates via SMS, has yet to release a mobile app. Despite not disclosing user numbers or growth metrics, Instinct's latest funding round indicates strong investor confidence.