Swiss app developer Proton has launched a brand new “privacy-first” AI e mail writing assistant that may very well be a safer different to comparable choices from Google and Microsoft.
Proton Scribe, built-in in Proton Mail, permits customers to compose emails with easy prompts. The big language mannequin (LLM) can even proofread your drafts earlier than they’re despatched.
To make use of the characteristic, all it’s important to do is draft an e mail in Proton Mail and click on the pencil icon displayed on the backside of the textbox. Inform the software what you need to say and it’ll create a draft for you.
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You’ll be able to then use the Shorten and Proofread choices if you happen to’d like to enhance the textual content. There’s additionally the choice to make the tone of your e mail extra formal. You’ll be able to assessment and edit your drafts earlier than sending them.
Privateness-first AI assistant
Like all of Proton’s merchandise, Scribe was designed with information privateness in thoughts. Based on the corporate, the assistant can’t prepare in your inbox information, as Proton Mail has a zero-access strategy to encryption. When you’re executed drafting your emails, Proton claims it doesn’t log or save something you’ve typed.
Proton says Scribe is the primary mass-market AI software that may be run fully regionally, making certain no information ever leaves your gadget. The programme could be downloaded onto MacOS, Home windows, and Linux gadgets.
That stated, Proton Scribe requires a 4GB one-time obtain in your gadget, and a minimal 8GB RAM to run. For these with out entry to this computing energy, there’s the choice to make use of Scribe on Proton’s servers. This is able to imply your information does depart your gadget, though Proton assures us it doesn’t not log any information no matter the place it’s hosted.
The AI writing assistant is powered by open-source fashions and code. This enables unbiased researchers to hold out privateness and safety audits, says the corporate. Scribe is constructed on Mistral 7B, an open supply language mannequin from French AI startup Mistral, TechCrunch stories.
Like Google, however not Google
Proton’s AI writing assistant arrives simply weeks after the corporate unveiled Proton Docs, a privacy-focused different to Google Docs. Proton Scribe additionally follows Google’s announcement final month that it’s integrating its Gemini chatbot into Gmail for duties together with e mail writing.
Proton Docs and Proton Mail stand in stark distinction to Google’s equal choices, which aren’t end-to-end encrypted. For one, Google has been proven to retains entry to all of your emails and docs and use them for focused promoting.
This week, one person of Google Docs even claimed that Google Gemini had accessed and edited his non-public doc with out permission.
Proton Scribe is principally concentrating on companies who need to preserve their non-public communications non-public. Based on a Proton survey, extra than 75% of the corporate’s enterprise customers stated they’re concerned about generative AI instruments, however most have been additionally involved a few lack of information protections.
Simply pulled up my tax return in @Google Docs–and unbidden, Gemini summarized it. So…Gemini is mechanically ingesting even the non-public docs I open in Google Docs? WTF, guys. I didn’t ask for this. Now I’ve to go discover new settings I used to be by no means advised about to show this crap off.
— Kevin Bankston (@KevinBankston) July 10, 2024
The Swiss firm’s mantra appears to be, “I can do every little thing Google can do — however with out stealing your information.”
The catch is that, as a result of Scribe doesn’t prepare in your private information, it’s naturally much less personalised. The emails it writes will probably be fairly generic. For this reason the corporate added the options talked about earlier that assist you to change the tone and edit and proofread earlier than urgent ship.
These on a Proton Marketing strategy can strive Proton Scribe without cost for 14 days. After that, the software prices $3 monthly per person.
