Instinct users report unwanted shopping suggestions from AI agent

Instinct users have raised concerns about unsolicited shopping recommendations from the personal AI agent. Shruti Gandhi, a general partner at Array Ventures, shared screenshots showing Instinct generated a shopping list based on her upcoming conference, including a $250.75 carry-on suitcase, sunscreen, and a power bank. Similarly, Tanmaye Bhatia, AI lead at Primary Venture Partners, received product suggestions for golf travel, while Girum Tihtina, CEO of Doctours, was recommended an office kit unrelated to his recent conversations. Instinct CEO Noah Shinn emphasized in an interview that agents should not influence users into purchases they do not want. Analysts debated whether these recommendations signaled monetization, with Davood Wadi suggesting it could be a form of monetization if Instinct earns from purchases, while Kirk Plangger cautioned that there was no evidence of paid placements. The company did not respond to a request for comment.