Instinct’s AI Assistant Raises Privacy and Security Concerns

Instinct is being developed as an AI personal assistant that can act across applications, moving beyond chat-based responses to carry out tasks on a user’s behalf. That broader capability makes access to personal context central to the product, but it also raises the stakes for consent, data governance and accountability. Trust will depend on whether the startup can limit permissions and clearly explain how sensitive information is handled.

The assistant has drawn attention during closed testing for its ability to perform tasks across multiple services. Testers, however, have raised concerns about access to email, screen content, audio and messaging apps, as well as protections contained in Instinct’s terms of service. Public information has not specified a launch date or detailed retention periods, third-party data use and independent security reviews, leaving key safeguards unresolved.