AI Agent Instinct Hits $10B Valuation After Series C

Instinct, an AI assistant startup that launched its invite-only service in August 2026, has raised $1 billion in a Series C round from Sequoia Capital, Benchmark Capital, and Coatue, valuing it at $10 billion. This follows a round just one month ago that valued it at $2.5 billion. Instinct's agent can book travel, pay bills, order groceries, and make phone calls on users' behalf. The company faces competition from Meta's Muse, privacy concerns over its data practices, and has no mobile app, relying instead on SMS to communicate with users.