Instinct
Invite-only AI personal assistant that handles errands and tasks entirely through text messages and phone calls, no app required
$350M
Total Funding
$2.5B
Valuation
Invite-only
Access
Overview
Instinct is a personal AI assistant built by Spear Street Technology, Inc., founded by Noah Shinn, a former research scientist at Sierra. Rather than a dedicated app, Instinct works entirely through text messages and phone calls: users text or call it to dispute a bill, order groceries, book a handyman, schedule appointments, or plan a trip. It runs on a persistent cloud computer with access to connected email, messaging, calendar, and other accounts, letting it follow up on tasks and reach back out proactively over hours without further prompting. The product is currently invite-only and in private beta.
The Verdict
Who Should Use Instinct?
Best For
- People who want errands and admin tasks handled without opening an app
- Users comfortable granting an AI agent access to email, calendar, and accounts
- Early adopters willing to use an invite-only private beta
Not Ideal For
- Privacy-sensitive users wary of an agent with broad account access
- Anyone needing guaranteed availability (it's invite-only, no public signup)
- Use cases requiring a visible dashboard or audit trail of actions taken
What's Great
- No new app or interface to learn, works over normal text and calls
- Handles multi-step tasks proactively over hours without being re-prompted
- Early users and investors report strong real-world task completion
- Backed by $350M in funding at a $2.5B valuation, signaling resources for continued development
Watch Out For
- Invite-only with no public pricing or signup yet
- Broad account access (email, payments, calendar) raises prompt-injection and data-retention concerns
- No published pricing model, long-term business model is unclear
- Reports of occasional overreach, e.g. attempting to change a flight seat without being asked
Pricing
View all features & details
How It Works
- Text or call to request a task
- Runs on a persistent cloud computer with browser access
- Connects to email, messaging, calendar, and other accounts
- Follows up and takes multi-step action proactively
Example Tasks
- Disputing an unwarranted bill
- Ordering groceries
- Scheduling doctor's appointments
- Booking a handyman or coordinating vendors
- Planning a trip or weekend getaway
Company
- Built by Spear Street Technology, Inc.
- Founded by Noah Shinn, former Sierra research scientist
- Based in San Francisco, CA
- $250M Series B co-led by Index Ventures and Benchmark ($350M total raised)
How It Compares
| Feature | Instinct | Comet (Perplexity) | Dia |
|---|---|---|---|
| Interface | Text + phone calls, no app | AI browser | AI browser |
| Access Model | Invite-only private beta | Open | Beta |
| Core Use Case | Real-world errands & tasks | Web browsing/research | Web browsing/research |
| Account Access | Email, calendar, payments | Browser session | Browser session |
| Pricing | Free (beta, unpublished) | Freemium | Free (beta) |
User Reviews
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