How to use Instinct AI: 5 smart ways to put it to work

What is Instinct AI?

Instinct AI is a personal assistant that you text or call, like you would a person. It understands what you're working on and what matters to you, and it can use a phone and a computer the same way you do. That means it can take actions for you, such as checking connected accounts, preparing a booking or getting a checkout ready, instead of only replying with text.

Instinct is made by Spear Street Technology, Inc., which operates it under the Instinct name, according to the Instinct terms of service. There's no new app to learn: you send it a message or call it, say what you need in plain words, and it gets on with the job. You sign in at instinct.com with your phone number and a one-time code, and access currently opens through a waitlist and invites.

Want to try it? Get a free Instinct invite: to get a free invite, please fill in the form.

How is Instinct different from a regular AI chatbot?

A regular chatbot answers questions and writes text. Instinct is built to carry a piece of work through to the end: it can watch for something to happen later, work inside the accounts you connect, and take the next step, with you approving the important ones.

That changes what you ask it for. Instead of "write me a list of hotels," you ask it to compare the options, build the itinerary and book once you approve. The five examples below all follow that pattern: each one is about finishing a real task, not just getting suggestions.

5 smart ways to use Instinct AI

1. Turn scattered work updates into a status brief

Work updates live in many places: your task tool, team chat, email. Instinct can bring connected sources together and tell you what's really going on, instead of only summarising text you paste in.

Try asking: "Compare our tasks with the discussion in our team chat. What's still pending, what's blocked, and where do the updates disagree?"

This is how we use Instinct ourselves. We connected our company ERP to Instinct to see which tasks are moving, how much work is pending, and what's waiting in testing or code review. The first time we asked, it was clear that too many tasks were sitting in testing and code review, so we knew exactly where to focus first: clear those queues before starting more new work.

One tip from that experience: be precise about what you ask for. "How long has this task been open?" and "How many hours did we spend on it?" are different questions, and the second one only works if your team records time.

2. Watch for a reply and carry the next step

Some work needs attention later, not right now. Instinct can keep an eye on it while you get on with your day, then help with what comes next.

Try asking: "Tell me when the vendor replies to this quote. Then help me prepare the response."

Sending the response still needs your approval, so nothing goes out without you. This works well for quotes, approvals and any thread where the next move depends on someone else.

3. Let two people's Instincts coordinate

Finding a meeting time usually means a string of back-and-forth messages. When you and a colleague both use Instinct, your assistants can exchange the information you allow and narrow down the options without you passing every message along.

Try asking: "Coordinate with my colleague's Instinct to find a meeting time."

Each person's permissions still apply, so each Instinct only shares what its owner allows.

4. Carry a trip from research to bookings

Most AI tools leave you with a list of travel suggestions. Instinct can keep the pieces of one trip together, from comparing options to making the bookings.

Try asking: "Compare flights and hotels for my trip, prepare an itinerary, and book once I approve."

Ask it to show you the final choice before it books, so you can check the dates, times and price in one place.

5. Move shopping from recommendations to checkout

Instead of stopping at "here are some options," Instinct can find the item, compare what's available, and get checkout ready. It can search Shopify's catalog for live prices, sizes and stock, and research beyond it too.

Try asking: "Find this item in my size and budget, compare the options, and prepare checkout for the one I choose."

You approve before any payment, and checkout support varies by store.

Things to know before you start

Instinct can act on your behalf, so treat it like giving a new assistant access to your accounts: start small, keep approvals on for anything important, and know what happens to your data. These points come from the Instinct terms of service (last revised August 26, 2026).

• Its actions count as yours. When Instinct makes a purchase or accepts terms for you, that's binding on you, and some actions can't be undone. Review the important steps before you approve them.
• Check what you connect. You're responsible for making sure Instinct's actions are allowed under the terms of each service you connect, which matters most for company systems.
• Disconnecting doesn't delete data. Instinct indexes data from connected accounts. If you want that data removed, request deletion in your Instinct workspace.
• Model training is on by default. Instinct may use your materials to improve and train its models. You can opt out in your Instinct settings, and anything you store in its Vault isn't used for training.
• You must be 18 or older, and some features may require a paid plan in the future.

How to get started with Instinct AI

Get an invite, sign in with your phone number, then start with one task you already do every week, such as pulling together a status update or planning a trip. Once it saves you time there, add the next task.

1. Get access. Instinct opens through invites and a waitlist. You can get a free invite from us.
2. Connect one source first. Pick the account that holds the task you want help with, and leave the rest until you trust the results.
3. Copy a prompt from this guide. Start with one of the "Try asking" examples above and adjust it to your work.
4. Keep approvals on. Let Instinct prepare the work, and approve sends, bookings and payments yourself.