AI Startup Instinct Raises $1 Billion at $10 Billion Valuation

Instinct raised $1 billion in a Series C funding round, bringing the AI startup's valuation to $10 billion. The investment round included contributions from Sequoia Capital, Benchmark Capital, and Coatue. This valuation represents a rapid increase from a fundraise just one month prior, which valued the company at $2.5 billion.

Founded in 2025 by Noah Shinn, the company develops a personal AI agent designed to autonomously handle tasks such as ordering groceries, booking travel, and canceling subscriptions. Recent updates to the platform include a concierge feature for making appointment phone calls and a trusted person network to enable coordination between different AI agents.

Instinct currently operates via SMS and texting, distinguishing it from its primary competitor, Meta's AI assistant Muse, which utilizes a dedicated mobile app and social platform integration. While the company is focusing on expanding agentic commerce and improving privacy to reduce hallucinations, it has not disclosed specific user growth metrics.