Noah Shinn, founder of Instinct, told investor Patrick O’Shaughnessy on a recent podcast that more than 50% of transactions on the invite-only Instinct platform are travel-related bookings. He added that the service is approaching $1 billion in annual transaction volume, although he did not specify how that figure was calculated.
Shinn argued that many people still rely on traditional travel agencies or booking sites for hotels and flights, and that platforms like Instinct can offer a better experience by unifying different hotel chains, airlines and services and providing a streamlined checkout.
“I think there is a better experience with Instinct or other interfaces where users can say ‘Hey, I need to be in New York tonight; it’s urgent’,” he said on the podcast.
Growth and transaction momentum
According to Shinn, Instinct is growing roughly 10% day-over-day, with transaction volume increasing at a similar rate. The platform remains invite-only; Shinn did not disclose the methodology behind the statement that annual transactions are nearing $1 billion.
Rethinking reservations and potential abuse
Shinn also discussed how automated agents could change reservation systems. He described agents that monitor restaurant booking sites frequently and notify users as slots become available, and suggested the company aims to reinvent reservations to give users preferential treatment for significant life events.
Observers have warned that such agents could be misused—agents might falsely claim anniversaries or special occasions to secure tables. Others noted that many restaurants prefer local regulars because they provide stable business and recurring revenue.
Funding and competition
Instinct announced a $1 billion Series C funding round on Monday at a $10 billion valuation, led by Sequoia Capital, Benchmark Capital and Coatue. The startup has a 14-person team and competes in the personal-agent space with offerings such as Meta’s Muse and Wajo, backed by Khosla Ventures.
Shinn’s comments highlight how AI-driven personal agents are already concentrating on travel use cases and scaling fast, but they also raise practical and ethical questions about how automated services should interact with hospitality businesses and prioritize users.
