{"slug": "open-source-instinct", "title": "Open Source Instinct", "summary": "Developer mariagorskikh released open-instinct, a from-scratch, documented open-source clone of the Instinct personal agent that runs in its own microVM on Maritime with a Linux desktop and defaults to the Claude Fable 5.1 model. The agent is reachable by text through an Inkbox-provided phone number, email address and agent-to-agent endpoint, and enforces six permission tiers in code before any tool runs, with grants expressed in plain English. It requires Node 22.19+ and pnpm 10, uses the user's own API keys, and can be deployed per person via a gateway signup page.", "body_md": "An open-source personal agent you text. It has its own computer, does real tasks, and coordinates with the agents of the people you trust.\n\nA from-scratch, documented clone of [Instinct](https://github.com/mariagorskikh/open-instinct/blob/main/docs/research/INSTINCT.md), built so anyone can run one.\n\nYou text a phone number. [Inkbox](https://inkbox.ai) gives the agent that number, an email address and an agent-to-agent endpoint. A small gateway wakes your agent, which lives in its own microVM on [Maritime](https://maritime.sh) with a Linux desktop. Inside, a [Pi](https://github.com/earendil-works/pi) agent loop runs with your apps through [Composio](https://composio.dev), a wallet through [Stripe Link](https://docs.stripe.com/agentic-commerce/agents/link-agent-wallet), and a policy guard in front of every tool. Default model: Claude Fable 5.1. Any Pi provider works.\n\nSix tiers, enforced in code before any tool runs. Your partner's agent can read your calendar. A friend's can only ask when you are free. A stranger gets a polite no, and you get a one-line text saying who asked for what. Grants add exceptions in plain English: \"Sam can book us dinner this week.\" Details in [PERMISSIONS.md](https://github.com/mariagorskikh/open-instinct/blob/main/docs/PERMISSIONS.md) and [PROTOCOL.md](https://github.com/mariagorskikh/open-instinct/blob/main/docs/PROTOCOL.md).\n\nNode 22.19+ and pnpm 10. You bring your own keys; [KEYS.md](https://github.com/mariagorskikh/open-instinct/blob/main/docs/KEYS.md) lists which ones and how to get them. No key is stored in this repository.\n\n**On your laptop, no phone number yet**\n\n```\ngit clone https://github.com/mariagorskikh/open-instinct && cd open-instinct\nnvm use && corepack enable        # if corepack needs permissions: npm install -g pnpm@10\npnpm install && pnpm build\nexport ANTHROPIC_API_KEY=sk-ant-...\npnpm instinct init --name \"Maria\" --phone +14155550100 --email maria@example.com --handle maria-instinct\npnpm instinct dev                 # then, in another terminal:\npnpm instinct chat \"remember that I like window seats\"\n```\n\n**With an iMessage line**\n\n```\nexport INKBOX_ADMIN_API_KEY=...   # inkbox.ai console\npnpm instinct init --name \"Maria\" --phone +14155550100 --email maria@example.com --handle maria-instinct\npnpm instinct dev --tunnel\npnpm instinct connect             # prints the number and the text to send: connect @maria-instinct\n```\n\n**The Instinct way: one agent per person on Maritime**\n\n```\nexport MARITIME_API_KEY=mk_...    # maritime.sh, Settings, API keys\npnpm instinct deploy --image ghcr.io/mariagorskikh/open-instinct-agent:latest\n```\n\nFor many people, run the [gateway](https://github.com/mariagorskikh/open-instinct/blob/main/packages/gateway/README.md): a signup page that provisions an identity and an agent per person. Guide: [DEPLOY-MARITIME.md](https://github.com/mariagorskikh/open-instinct/blob/main/docs/DEPLOY-MARITIME.md).\n\n| The signup page | The connect page | \n|---|---|\n\n```\npackages/core       Pi agent loop, policy engine, memory, scheduler, approvals, audit\npackages/inkbox     iMessage, SMS, email, webhooks, agent-to-agent transport\npackages/computer   the desktop (Maritime desktopd in the VM, or hosted Computers MCP)\npackages/apps       Composio Tool Router\npackages/network    contacts, tiers, grants, invitations, agent-to-agent tools\npackages/payments   Stripe Link wallet: one-time cards the owner approves\npackages/server     the agent process (/health, /chat, /schedules)\npackages/gateway    multi-user relay and signup\npackages/cli        the instinct command\nskills/             playbooks the agent follows\ndocs/               architecture, permissions, protocol, keys, deploy, research\n```\n\n[Architecture](https://github.com/mariagorskikh/open-instinct/blob/main/docs/ARCHITECTURE.md) · [Permissions](https://github.com/mariagorskikh/open-instinct/blob/main/docs/PERMISSIONS.md) · [Protocol](https://github.com/mariagorskikh/open-instinct/blob/main/docs/PROTOCOL.md) · [Keys](https://github.com/mariagorskikh/open-instinct/blob/main/docs/KEYS.md) · [Deploy on Maritime](https://github.com/mariagorskikh/open-instinct/blob/main/docs/DEPLOY-MARITIME.md) · [Self-host](https://github.com/mariagorskikh/open-instinct/blob/main/docs/SELF-HOST.md) · [Inkbox](https://github.com/mariagorskikh/open-instinct/blob/main/docs/INKBOX.md) · [Composio](https://github.com/mariagorskikh/open-instinct/blob/main/docs/COMPOSIO.md) · [Payments](https://github.com/mariagorskikh/open-instinct/blob/main/docs/PAYMENTS.md) · [Security](https://github.com/mariagorskikh/open-instinct/blob/main/docs/SECURITY.md) · [FAQ](https://github.com/mariagorskikh/open-instinct/blob/main/docs/FAQ.md) · [Examples](https://github.com/mariagorskikh/open-instinct/blob/main/examples/README.md) · Research: [What Instinct is](https://github.com/mariagorskikh/open-instinct/blob/main/docs/research/INSTINCT.md), [Requirements](https://github.com/mariagorskikh/open-instinct/blob/main/docs/research/REQUIREMENTS.md), [Tech reference](https://github.com/mariagorskikh/open-instinct/blob/main/docs/research/TECH-REFERENCE.md)\n\nVersion 0.1. Nine packages, 725 tests, a scripted end-to-end smoke test, and a cold-start test from a fresh clone. Live iMessage and Maritime deployment were exercised against real identities during development; treat them as beta. Logins, 2FA and payments go to you through a desktop takeover or a Link approval, never to the model alone.\n\nMerit Systems publishes an unrelated project called [OpenInstinct](https://github.com/Merit-Systems/OpenInstinct). This project is not affiliated with it or with Instinct.\n\n[Contributing](https://github.com/mariagorskikh/open-instinct/blob/main/CONTRIBUTING.md) · MIT license", "url": "https://wpnews.pro/news/open-source-instinct", "canonical_source": "https://github.com/mariagorskikh/open-instinct", "published_at": "2026-10-04 23:49:16+00:00", "updated_at": "2026-10-05 00:13:03.187834+00:00", "lang": "en", "topics": ["ai-agents", "ai-tools", "agent-protocols", "developer-tools", "ai-products"], "entities": ["open-instinct", "Instinct", "mariagorskikh", "Inkbox", "Maritime", "Pi", "Composio", "Stripe Link"], "also_reported_by": [], "alternates": {"html": "https://wpnews.pro/news/open-source-instinct", "markdown": "https://wpnews.pro/news/open-source-instinct.md", "text": "https://wpnews.pro/news/open-source-instinct.txt", "jsonld": "https://wpnews.pro/news/open-source-instinct.jsonld"}}