Proton Mail has introduced a new AI assistant called Lumo, designed to preserve user privacy. Lumo can summarize documents, generate code, write emails, and perform other tasks while storing data locally on users’ devices. The chatbot uses ‘zero-access’ encryption, which grants users an encryption key that only they can use to view their content.
This ensures that Proton cannot access user data for training large language models or sharing with advertisers or governments. To further enhance security, Lumo uses Transport Layer Security (TLS) encryption for data transmission and asymmetrically encrypts prompts, allowing only the GPU servers to decrypt them.
Lumo’s web search feature is turned off by default to prioritize user privacy. Users can enable this feature using “privacy-friendly” search engines. The chatbot also analyzes uploaded files without saving any information. Proton Drive files can be linked to Lumo as well, which are end-to-end encrypted when interacting with the chatbot.
Proton’s AI chatbot is positioned as an alternative to larger companies’ offerings like ChatGPT, Meta AI, and Google’s Gemini. The company aims to put users first, rather than prioritizing profits. Lumo is powered by open-source large language models running on Proton’s European servers. Users can access Lumo now at lumo.proton.me or through the Lumo app for iOS and Android.
Note: Free account users have limited features, while a $12.99-per-month Lumo Plus plan provides access to unlimited chats, extended encrypted chat history, and more.
Source: https://www.theverge.com/news/711860/proton-privacy-focused-ai-chatbot