Key facts
- Instinct and Meta's Muse AI assistants can now make phone calls.
- Instinct's new feature, Instinct Concierge, can book restaurants and manage bills.
- Meta's Muse will prioritize users who requested the calling feature.
- Instinct recently added email addresses for account management.
- Instinct raised $350 million at a $2.5 billion valuation last month.
- Instinct is reportedly in talks to raise $1 billion at a $10 billion valuation.
Instinct and Meta's Muse, two prominent text-based AI agents, have both recently introduced the capability to make phone calls, aiming to enhance their utility for users. Instinct, a San Francisco-based AI assistant reportedly valued at $10 billion, announced its new 'Instinct Concierge' feature. This service allows the AI to perform high-touch tasks such as booking restaurants without online reservations, managing cable bills, and getting on cancellation lists.
Instinct founder Noah Shinn announced the feature's rollout in early access, with plans for a wider expansion. The company also recently introduced email addresses for account management and enabled assistants to contact other users' assistants within a trusted network. Last month, Instinct secured $350 million in funding at a $2.5 billion valuation and is reportedly in talks to raise an additional $1 billion at a $10 billion valuation.
Meta's Muse AI assistant has also gained the ability to place calls to U.S. businesses. Meta stated that the feature will initially be available to users who have previously asked Muse to make calls, effectively using these requests as a signal for feature rollout. This move brings Muse into parity with Instinct and other rivals who have been touting calling capabilities as a key advantage.
Analytics firm Sensor Tower reported that Muse saw significant traction upon its launch, with over 730,000 downloads in the U.S. within its first few days, surpassing the Meta AI app's initial download numbers.