Instinct, an artificial-intelligence startup now worth $10 billion after its latest funding round, announced that its personal assistant can be added to group chats. The capability works regardless of whether the other participants have signed up for Instinct, and the company cites scenarios such as travel planning, ticket hunting, fantasy-league management, carpools and coordinating holiday meals.
The move positions Instinct against rivals like Meta’s Muse, which currently lacks a group-chat option, though Meta’s older AI product can be attached to group conversations on WhatsApp, Messenger, Instagram and Facebook. Both Instinct and Muse have recently introduced phone-call features, while OpenAI unveiled ChatGPT Dots that operate inside collaborative ChatGPT Spaces.
Founder Noah Shinn explained on X that the system safeguards user data by requiring the personal Instinct assistant to obtain explicit permission before linking to a group’s shared agent. Users can designate trusted groups, revoke that trust at any time, and the group-level agent remains isolated from personal account information, preventing unauthorized access.
When new participants join a conversation, any pending replies generated by an individual’s personal assistant are held back until the user approves their release. The personal agent also asks before transmitting any personal details or executing actions on behalf of the user, reinforcing a consent-first approach.
"Making plans with friends usually turns into a frustrating back-and-forth over times and places. With Instinct in the group, you can explore options together, agree on a plan and get it done, all in one thread," Shinn wrote, highlighting the intended reduction of coordination friction.
The group-chat function is initially available to Instinct’s early-access cohort and will be extended to the broader user base in the near future. Interested members can request inclusion by asking their personal Instinct assistant to add them to the testing list, alongside other recent feature rollouts.