AI Assistant Startup Instinct Raises $1B Series C at $10B Valuation

AI assistant startup Instinct announced on Monday that it has raised $1 billion in a Series C round at a $10 billion valuation. The round includes investments from Sequoia Capital, Benchmark Capital and Coatue, just one month after the company was valued at $2.5 billion in its previous funding round.

Instinct launched its invite-only service in August 2026. Its AI agent can not only answer questions and hold conversations, but also handle real-world tasks such as booking travel or restaurant reservations, making purchases, paying bills, canceling subscriptions, conducting research and ordering groceries. The company says its agent operates using its own phone number and computer. Recent additions include a “concierge” feature that makes phone calls on behalf of users, and a “trusted person network” that allows agents of different users to coordinate plans.

The startup has also faced scrutiny over privacy. Its initial privacy policy raised concerns over the amount of personal information required to use the service, and the policy has since been updated. Meanwhile, Instinct faces fresh competition from Meta’s AI assistant Muse, which offers similar features and has reached the top of U.S. app store charts. Instinct has not yet released a mobile app, and has not disclosed user numbers or growth metrics.