Open Source Instinct

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.

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. A from-scratch, documented clone of Instinct https://github.com/mariagorskikh/open-instinct/blob/main/docs/research/INSTINCT.md , built so anyone can run one. You 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. Six 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 . Node 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. On your laptop, no phone number yet git clone https://github.com/mariagorskikh/open-instinct && cd open-instinct nvm use && corepack enable if corepack needs permissions: npm install -g pnpm@10 pnpm install && pnpm build export ANTHROPIC API KEY=sk-ant-... pnpm instinct init --name "Maria" --phone +14155550100 --email maria@example.com --handle maria-instinct pnpm instinct dev then, in another terminal: pnpm instinct chat "remember that I like window seats" With an iMessage line export INKBOX ADMIN API KEY=... inkbox.ai console pnpm instinct init --name "Maria" --phone +14155550100 --email maria@example.com --handle maria-instinct pnpm instinct dev --tunnel pnpm instinct connect prints the number and the text to send: connect @maria-instinct The Instinct way: one agent per person on Maritime export MARITIME API KEY=mk ... maritime.sh, Settings, API keys pnpm instinct deploy --image ghcr.io/mariagorskikh/open-instinct-agent:latest For 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 . | The signup page | The connect page | |---|---| packages/core Pi agent loop, policy engine, memory, scheduler, approvals, audit packages/inkbox iMessage, SMS, email, webhooks, agent-to-agent transport packages/computer the desktop Maritime desktopd in the VM, or hosted Computers MCP packages/apps Composio Tool Router packages/network contacts, tiers, grants, invitations, agent-to-agent tools packages/payments Stripe Link wallet: one-time cards the owner approves packages/server the agent process /health, /chat, /schedules packages/gateway multi-user relay and signup packages/cli the instinct command skills/ playbooks the agent follows docs/ architecture, permissions, protocol, keys, deploy, research 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 Version 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. Merit Systems publishes an unrelated project called OpenInstinct https://github.com/Merit-Systems/OpenInstinct . This project is not affiliated with it or with Instinct. Contributing https://github.com/mariagorskikh/open-instinct/blob/main/CONTRIBUTING.md · MIT license