Instinct’s Product Recommendation Rollout Draws User Complaints

The feature curates personalized lists in areas including dining, travel and shopping, according to TechCrunch. Founder Noah Shinn announced its debut on Tuesday, saying Instinct would partner with “local chefs, designers, architects, travel guides” and others to bring “human taste” to its recommendations. The company did not disclose who those partners are.

Shinn wrote on X that Instinct could pull from a list handpicked by chefs for restaurant recommendations, draw on local guides for trail routes, and find pieces from independent designers for home decor that match a user’s style, space and budget. He said the goal was to deliver world-class recommendations differentiated in quality from what users might find on the internet and from what other chatbots produce.

Initial reactions were not fully positive. Shruti Gandhi, a general partner at the AI-focused investing firm Array VC, wrote on X that she did not need to buy carry-on luggage, sunglasses or a brim hat. She called the feature disappointing and asked for a personalized shopping list of things she actually needs. Entrepreneur Andrew Yeung confirmed on X that he also received product recommendations he had not asked for, which can feel off-putting. Chat Joglekar, founder of a business-buying marketplace, wrote that he had his first “ewwww” moment with an AI assistant when Instinct suggested products to buy based on what was in his email and upcoming trips.

TechCrunch reported that making curated suggestions useful depends on ensuring they answer something the user is actually asking for or at least fit naturally within the current conversation, so the assistant feels helpful rather than as if it is advertising. If product suggestions arrive at random intervals, as Instinct’s have, they need to be highly personalized and excellent picks, or users may feel spammed, according to TechCrunch. The article said this is unlikely to endear users to Instinct while it competes with agents from larger companies such as Meta and OpenAI, which do not do this.

Instinct did not share whether it is currently making money from these recommendations or plans to, TechCrunch reported. TechCrunch said the feature seems ripe for some form of advertising, commerce or affiliate play and asked the company for further comment.

The product suggestions launched shortly after Instinct confirmed its most recent financing, a $1 billion Series C round that values the company at $10 billion. The company has not yet said how many people use its product, a figure that would help justify that valuation. In a recent podcast interview with investor Patrick O’Shaughnessy, Shinn said the platform is approaching a billion dollars in annual transactions made through the agent, and that more than 50% of them are related to travel.

Editor's Summary

Instinct has added product recommendations through Instinct Selections, aiming to pair AI with human-curated lists for dining, travel and shopping. Some users and investors complained that the suggestions felt unsolicited, creating a test for the startup as it competes with larger AI agents and after a $10 billion valuation. The company has not said whether it earns revenue from the feature or how many users it has.