Instinct founder touts AI booking agents, says travel is over 50% of transactions

Instinct founder Noah Shinn said in a recent podcast that more than 50% of transactions on the platform are travel-related, and that the invite-only platform is approaching $1 billion in annual transactions, with the platform growing about 10% day over day and transaction volume rising at a similar pace. He did not specify how the annualized figure was calculated.

Shinn compared traditional travel booking sites with AI agent interfaces, arguing that while legacy sites unify hotels, airlines and services and present them clearly, an assistant-style interface can give users a better experience by letting them say things like "I need to be in New York tonight." On restaurant reservations, he said most restaurants use a first-come, first-served system that doesn't account for special occasions. He said an AI agent could check restaurant websites every five seconds and alert users when a table opens up, and hinted that Instinct wants to reinvent reservations and give users preferential treatment.

The remarks drew criticism online. Observers noted that users could use agents to falsely claim anniversaries or other special occasions to book tables, and that some restaurants prefer local regulars who bring steady business.

Instinct, a 14-person startup, announced a $1 billion Series C at a $10 billion valuation on Sept. 28, 2026, from Sequoia Capital, Benchmark and Coatue. It competes with Meta's Muse and Khosla-backed Wajo in the personal agent space.