AI assistants Instinct and Muse gain phone-calling capabilities
Instinct has introduced a concierge service that can place calls to book restaurants or handle cancellations. Meta's Muse also now supports outbound calls to US businesses, with early access for users who requested it. Both features aim to let AI agents perform tasks like reservations and subscription cancellations over the phone.
Instinct's concierge feature targets tasks that typically require human interaction, such as securing reservations at restaurants without online booking systems or navigating waitlists at dental offices. The company has also expanded beyond voice, recently introducing email capabilities for account management and a trusted network allowing users' assistants to coordinate directly with one another.
Meta's Muse, which launched just last week, has quickly gained traction, recording over 730,000 US downloads in its first five days—slightly surpassing the Meta AI app's launch performance. The company is prioritizing users who explicitly requested the calling feature, using that feedback mechanism to guide feature rollout. Instinct's valuation reportedly stands near $10 billion following substantial investor interest.
The expansion of AI calling capabilities could shift how consumers handle routine tasks like reservations and cancellations, potentially saving time and reducing friction. However, it may also raise concerns about automated calls replacing human customer service interactions, and questions about accountability when AI agents make errors on behalf of users. Small businesses receiving these calls may need to adapt to handling AI-driven requests, and consumers could face new challenges in verifying the legitimacy of such calls.