Instinct joined the chat: The startup is bringing its AI agents to your group DMs

Instinct, the personal AI agent startup, has expanded its capabilities to the group chat realm. CEO Noah Shinn announced in an X post that early-access users can now add Instinct to their group chats, where it can help plan trips, coordinate carpools, split ticket costs, and manage various logistics for multiple people. This new feature aims to streamline the often chaotic nature of group conversations, such as deciding on restaurant options, resolving conflicting schedules, and keeping track of event details.

Unlike standard Instinct interactions, a dedicated group-specific agent will join the conversation, allowing the entire group to benefit from its assistance without requiring every member to have an individual account. However, this expansion brings new privacy concerns, as users have previously raised issues about the agent accessing sensitive accounts, providing inaccurate explanations of its actions, and sending unsolicited recommendations based on previous conversations.

For instance, one user reported Instinct canceling event RSVPs without permission, while another experienced the agent describing personal financial details from a text-only link. Instinct has addressed these concerns by implementing controls that require a personal Instinct to grant permission before connecting to a group agent, ensuring that individual accounts remain secure.

Additionally, if a new member joins the group, the personal Instinct will hold pending replies from the group agent until the user authorizes sharing with the expanded chat. Users are encouraged to exercise caution when sharing sensitive information and to use secure methods, such as personal email addresses, non-work devices, and non-work Wi-Fi networks.