The AI startup Instinct has introduced a new feature called Instinct Selections, which offers human-curated product and travel recommendations. The company aims to enhance its AI suggestions by partnering with local experts such as chefs, designers, and travel guides to deliver higher-quality, personalized lists for dining, shopping, and exploration. Founder Noah Shinn announced this initiative on September 29, 2026, positioning these recommendations as curated by those with specialized local knowledge rather than relying solely on AI training data or generic internet searches.

Despite the promise of improved personalization, the rollout of these suggestions has met with backlash from some users who find the unsolicited product recommendations intrusive and unwelcome. Several users, including notable tech figures like Shruti Gandhi of Array VC, tweeted that receiving random suggestions for items like luggage or sunglasses felt disappointing and invasive. Others expressed discomfort at recommendations based on private data such as emails and upcoming travel plans, perceiving the feature as more of an unwanted advertising push than helpful assistance.

A core criticism from the community is that Instinct’s product suggestions appear out of context and poorly personalized, arriving at unpredictable times without clear user consent. Observers argue that for such recommendations to work well, they must align closely with the user’s immediate requests or interests, ensuring the AI feels helpful rather than spammy. This challenge is especially significant given Instinct’s competition with major AI agents from companies like Meta and OpenAI, which currently do not engage in unsolicited product pushes, suggesting a delicate balance between monetization strategies and user experience.

Instinct has not publicly disclosed any direct monetization plans for this new feature, but the timing of its launch closely follows the company’s recent $1 billion Series C funding round, which valued Instinct at $10 billion. Founder Noah Shinn has indicated that the platform is approaching $1 billion in annual transactions, with travel-related purchases constituting over half of that volume. As Instinct explores new revenue opportunities through curated commerce, it will need to navigate user sensitivities carefully to sustain engagement and trust in a competitive AI marketplace.