Instinct's unsolicited product recommendations draw user backlash
An AI agent's monetization experiment meets user resistance; the line between assistant and advertising is the thing to watch.
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The AI agent Instinct has started pushing product recommendations to users unprompted, and several early users are publicly unhappy.
The feature, called Instinct Selections, went live on September 29. Founder Noah Shinn says the company partners with chefs, designers, architects and travel guides to bring "human taste" to restaurant, trail and home-decor suggestions. What users received were pushes they never asked for: investor Shruti Gandhi was recommended carry-on luggage and sunglasses, and another founder said the agent pitched a coffee flask based on his email and upcoming trips.
Instinct has not said whether the recommendations generate revenue; the feature looks like an entry point for advertising or affiliate income. The company just closed a $1 billion Series C at a $10 billion valuation but has not disclosed user numbers. Against competitors like OpenAI that do not push products, whether this monetization keeps users remains to be seen.