Author Keeps Using Instinct After It Saved $550 Despite $64 Error and Security Risks
Updated
Updated · WIRED · Sep 24
Author Keeps Using Instinct After It Saved $550 Despite $64 Error and Security Risks
3 articles · Updated · WIRED · Sep 24
Summary
$550 in travel savings convinced a WIRED author to keep using Instinct, an invite-only AI agent, after it spotted a 90-minute flight change that qualified for a full refund and rebooked part of a trip.
Instinct proved more useful than earlier agents because it works through iMessage and WhatsApp, suggests tasks proactively, and successfully handled restaurant bookings during a Venice work trip.
$64 was lost when the agent canceled a delayed DoorDash order despite instructions to do so only with a refund, underscoring the trade-off behind its convenience.
Security and privacy concerns remain significant: users said Instinct retained inbox data after disconnection, one bot reportedly hit Resy about 200 times an hour, and another user found it easy to phish.
Instinct launched its private beta in February and is reportedly seeking another $1 billion after raising $350 million already, as consumer interest in AI agents rises despite mounting backlash over their risks.