Key facts
- Instinct launched a new feature called Instinct Selections for product recommendations.
- The feature aims to combine AI-driven suggestions with human-curated lists from experts.
- Users have criticized the feature for unsolicited and irrelevant product suggestions.
- Instinct recently closed a $1 billion Series C funding round, valuing the company at $10 billion.
AI startup Instinct has introduced a new revenue-generating feature, Instinct Selections, which provides product recommendations. The feature aims to offer personalized lists in areas such as dining, travel, and shopping, drawing on both AI analysis and human curation from partnered experts like chefs and designers. Founder Noah Shinn explained the goal is to deliver high-quality recommendations differentiated from typical internet suggestions.
However, the rollout has faced immediate backlash from users who find the unsolicited product pushes intrusive and irrelevant. Users like Shruti Gandhi of Array VC and entrepreneur Andrew Yeung have voiced disappointment, with Gandhi stating she received suggestions for items she did not need, such as luggage and sunglasses. Chat Joglekar described an "ewwww" moment when Instinct suggested products based on his email and travel plans.
Experts suggest that for curated suggestions to be effective, they must be highly personalized and relevant to the user's current needs or conversation, rather than feeling like advertising. The unsolicited nature of Instinct's recommendations, especially when competing with agents from larger companies like Meta and OpenAI that do not offer similar features, could alienate users.
Instinct has not disclosed current revenue generation from these recommendations but the feature appears poised for advertising or affiliate plays. The launch follows Instinct's recent $1 billion Series C funding round, which valued the company at $10 billion. Shinn previously mentioned in a podcast that the agent handles nearly $1 billion in annual transactions, with over half related to travel.