AI assistant startup Instinct has raised $1 billion in a Series C round from investors including Sequoia Capital, Benchmark Capital, and Coatue, giving the company a $10 billion valuation. The funding comes just one month after Instinct raised $350 million at a $2.5 billion valuation.
Instinct confirmed the Series C on Monday after The Information reported earlier this month that the startup was seeking funding at a $10 billion valuation. The round follows the launch of Instinct’s invite-only service in August 2026.
The latest financing comes as Instinct develops an AI assistant that can complete tasks for users rather than only answer questions. Its capabilities include booking travel and restaurant reservations, making purchases, paying bills, canceling subscriptions, researching topics, and ordering groceries.
Instinct Uses Its Own Phone and Computer
When a user assigns a task, Instinct operates through its own phone number and computer. The company recently introduced a concierge feature that can make phone calls for tasks such as scheduling appointments with businesses that do not offer online booking.
Another feature, called the “trusted person network,” allows one user’s Instinct agent to coordinate plans with agents belonging to friends. Instinct communicates with users primarily through SMS and text messaging and does not currently offer a mobile app.
These capabilities also require users to provide significant amounts of personal information. Instinct previously faced privacy and security concerns over the scope of its original privacy policy, which the company has since updated.
Meta’s Muse Adds New Competition
Instinct is also competing with Meta’s Muse AI assistant, which offers similar task-completion features while integrating with Meta’s social platforms. Muse can monitor and summarize Instagram direct messages and Facebook Groups, as well as track Marketplace listings.
Muse has reached the top of U.S. app stores and has been downloaded millions of times. Instinct has not disclosed its number of users or other growth metrics, despite its recent fundraising rounds.
Founder Noah Shinn did not participate in interviews tied to the new financing announcement. In a statement, he said Instinct is being built as a personal agent designed to handle the “deeply personal nuances of everyday life.”
“This funding helps us bring Instinct to more people and continue building the future of personal AI,” Shinn said. “It’s an exciting, creative time, and we’re just getting started.”
Featured image credits: Magnific.com
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