Instinct was the buzziest AI agent around — can it survive Muse?
Instinct, the invite-only AI agent, faces new competition from Meta's Muse and OpenAI's Dots, but its focused, text-based approach holds up in testing.Summary
Instinct launched in August with an unusual strategy: invite-only, no marketing, and barely a website. It quickly became the buzziest AI agent, praised for its text-message interface and ability to handle tasks like booking DMV appointments and sending emails. Then Meta's Muse and OpenAI's Dots arrived, offering similar products from far more powerful companies. In testing by The Verge, Instinct held its own, handling online tasks about as well as expected, though with real limitations. Founder Noah Shinn is unfazed, emphasizing Instinct's singular focus on building a personal assistant for everyday life. The company was valued at $10 billion in late September. Instinct operates via iMessage, WhatsApp, or email, with no app or cute mascot. It can connect to Google Workspace, Slack, and Notion, and uses a secure vault for website logins. While it sometimes missed details—like a prerequisite class for swim lessons—it also proactively flagged relevant information, such as a calendar conflict and a confirmation email. Currently free for invite-only users, Instinct may eventually monetize, possibly through advertising, as analysts note the pressure to grow and the ad-heavy nature of consumer markets.
(Source：The Verge)