Instinct founder says more than half of transactions on his AI agent platform are travel-related

What happened

TechCrunch reported on September 29, 2026, that Noah Shinn, founder of Instinct, spoke in a podcast interview with investor Patrick O'Shaughnessy. Instinct is an AI personal agent, an AI assistant that carries out tasks such as bookings for its user. Shinn said more than 50% of transactions on the platform are travel-related. TechCrunch noted that nearly every AI tool demo shows users having an assistant book travel, which appears to be the most common use case.

According to TechCrunch, Shinn also said the platform's annual transaction volume is close to $1 billion. The platform is invite-only, meaning people can join only if they are invited. He said the platform is growing 10% per day and that transaction volume is rising at a similar pace. However, TechCrunch noted that Shinn did not explain how the annual transaction volume was calculated. All of these figures come from the founder's own statements on the podcast.

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How the founder sees AI agents versus traditional travel booking sites

According to TechCrunch, Shinn believes the value of traditional travel agencies and booking sites lies in bringing different hotel chains, airlines and services together in one place and letting users check out immediately. He argues that interfaces like Instinct can offer a better experience. For example, users could simply state a need like "I urgently need to get to New York tonight."

Restaurant reservation idea sparks controversy

According to TechCrunch, Shinn said most restaurants use a first-come, first-served reservation system that cannot account for customers' special occasions. He said an agent could check a restaurant's website every five seconds and notify the user when a table opens up. He also hinted that the company hopes to reinvent reservations so that users get preferential treatment.

TechCrunch reported that some observers pointed out that agents could falsely claim special occasions such as anniversaries just to book a table. Others noted that some restaurants prefer local regulars because they bring in more business. The dispute suggests that automated actions by AI agents may clash with the way businesses already operate.

Funding and competition

According to TechCrunch, Instinct recently raised $1 billion in a Series C round at a $10 billion valuation. A Series C is a later round of funding from investors, and the valuation is how much those investors judged the company to be worth. The investors include Sequoia Capital, Benchmark Capital and Coatue. TechCrunch described Instinct as a 14-person startup competing in the personal agent space with Meta's Muse and Khosla-backed Wajo.

What it means for everyday users

• Travel may be the first everyday use of AI agents to go mainstream: if the founder's claims are accurate, agents are already handling large numbers of real transactions rather than just appearing in demos.
• When letting an agent book for you, it is still wise to check dates, locations, names and cancellation terms yourself, as mistakes can directly incur costs.
• Before authorizing an agent to pay or log into accounts on your behalf, understand which personal and payment data it can access.
• The restaurant reservation controversy is a reminder that an agent's automated actions can affect other customers and businesses, so make sure the information it provides on your behalf is truthful.

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