Travel booking dominates the use cases for most AI assistants, and the viral Instinct agent follows that same pattern. According to founder Noah Shinn, more than half of all transactions on the platform are travel-related, a detail he shared during a recent podcast appearance.

Speaking with investor Patrick O'Shaughnessy, Shinn revealed that the invite-only platform is nearing a billion dollars in annual transactions, though he declined to explain how that figure was calculated.

Shinn contrasted Instinct's approach with traditional travel agencies and booking sites. He noted that conventional interfaces do unify hotel chains, airlines, and various services into a convenient format that allows immediate checkout. However, he believes Instinct and similar interfaces offer a superior experience, allowing users to express urgent needs like "Hey, I need to be in New York tonight; it's urgent."

The platform is reportedly growing at 10% daily, with transaction volume climbing at a comparable pace. Shinn's comments during the show also touched on restaurant reservations, drawing some scrutiny. He pointed out that most restaurants operate on a first-come-first-serve basis, which doesn't accommodate special occasions. An AI agent, he suggested, could monitor restaurant sites every five seconds and alert users to open slots.

Shinn hinted that the company aims to reinvent reservations and offer users preferential treatment. From the user's perspective, he explained, people want reservations for significant life events, while restaurants want interesting patrons and special occasions rather than regulars who occupy tables nightly without any special event.

Some observers raised concerns that agents could fabricate anniversaries or special occasions just to secure a table. They also noted that many restaurants actually prefer local regulars, who tend to bring in more consistent business.

Instinct recently closed a $1 billion Series C funding round on Monday at a $10 billion valuation, backed by Sequoia Capital, Benchmark Capital, and Coatue. The 14-person startup competes with Meta's Muse and Khosla-backed Wajo in the personal agent space.