AI agent startup Instinct raises $1B Series C at $10B valuation

Instinct, a consumer AI agent startup, confirmed a $1 billion Series C financing that values the company at $10 billion. The round was led by Sequoia Capital, Benchmark Capital, and Coatue, according to a Monday press release. The Series C follows a prior raise announced in late August 2026 that valued Instinct at $2.5 billion, illustrating a rapid cadence of fundraising for the invite-only service launched in August 2026.

The company’s agent performs tasks such as booking travel plans, making restaurant reservations, paying bills, canceling subscriptions, conducting research, and ordering groceries. To execute these tasks, Instinct’s agent uses its own phone number and computer, communicating with users primarily via SMS and texting rather than through a mobile app.

Instinct has introduced additional features including a concierge capability that can make phone calls to schedule appointments at businesses without online booking, and a trusted person network that allows one user’s agent to coordinate plans with friends’ agents.

Despite the product’s viral adoption claims, Instinct has not disclosed user numbers or growth metrics. The company also faced scrutiny over an initial privacy policy that users criticized as overly permissive; Instinct later updated the policy.

Meta’s AI assistant, Muse, has emerged as a direct competitor, offering similar task-execution features and deep integration with Meta’s social platforms. Muse’s integration with Instagram Direct Messages, Facebook Groups, and Marketplace has driven millions of downloads and placed it at the top of U.S. app stores.