AI startup Instinct has launched Instinct Selections, a feature offering personalised recommendations in areas such as dining, travel and shopping. The company says it will combine its AI with suggestions curated by people including chefs, designers and local guides, aiming to offer recommendations that stand out from those produced by other chatbots.

Some users have complained that the recommendations appeared without being requested and felt like advertising. Examples included luggage, sunglasses, a hat, a coffee flask and travel accessories, apparently suggested using information from users’ emails or upcoming trips; Instinct has not named its human curators. The reaction highlights how unsolicited recommendations can feel intrusive unless they respond to a user’s request or fit naturally into a conversation.