
Viral AI startup Instinct has raised $350 million at a $2.5 billion valuation
THE SO WHAT
A one-year-old AI startup pulling $350M at a $2.5B valuation on hype plus privacy concerns says more about capital’s FOMO than product-market proof. If you’re building in adjacent spaces, expect board pressure to “be more like Instinct” — your job is to separate durable data moats from short-lived virality.
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