San Francisco-based startup Instinct, an AI assistant currently in private testing, is drawing criticism from early users over its data handling practices and security model. The agent connects to users’ email, messaging apps, calendar, and device features like audio, location, and screen, and can act on their behalf for tasks such as booking appointments, managing inboxes, or arranging rides. While testers say the tool performs well, several have reported that it retains data after access is revoked and has taken actions without prior approval.
One early adopter, Peter Yang, said Instinct would not delete his Gmail records when asked, though the team later added a tool for deleting external data. Another user, Claire Vo, found the assistant was still summarizing her inbox hours after she disconnected its Google access; when she asked why, the bot said her emails were stored in plain text for later searches. A third tester expressed concern that Instinct pulled a sign-up code from their email to complete a restaurant reservation, and Hello Patient co-founder Alex Cohen said he deleted his account after demonstrating how easily the assistant could be phished.
Moxxie Ventures founder Katie Jacobs Stanton said Instinct broke her trust by sending an email on her behalf without checking with her first. She noted that while powerful personal AI agents can earn trust through successful actions, a single unauthorized move can reset that trust to zero. Anchor founder Michael Mignano, now a general partner at Union Square Ventures, predicted such products will shift consumer security norms, with people handing over passwords to third-party apps without understanding what those apps store.
The startup is led by a small team including former Sierra research scientist Noah Shinn, and is operated by Spear Street Technology, according to its terms and California business filings. It is currently operating in stealth, per PitchBook. The company has not responded to public criticism on X, nor to requests for comment sent to its main email address and to Shinn directly.
The product’s terms allow Instinct to enter into binding agreements, commitments, or transactions on a user’s behalf, which has drawn scrutiny given the level of access it requires. Several investors told TechCrunch that Kleiner Perkins and Conviction have invested in the startup, with rounds now closed. The assistant identifies Luca Borletti, also formerly of Sierra, as being involved, though that has not been confirmed.
Interest in personal AI agents has grown since the arrival of OpenClaw, a popular assistant whose founder joined OpenAI to work on next-generation personal agents. Another messaging-based assistant, Poke, recently exited to Cognition. Instinct remains in private testing, so the reported privacy and security concerns have not yet affected a wider public audience.
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