Proton, a privacy app maker, has recently introduced a new AI-powered writing assistant called Proton Scribe. This tool is designed to help users compose, redraft, and proofread emails before sending them. The launch of Proton Scribe is in line with the company’s focus on privacy, as it aims to provide users with a secure alternative to third-party AI providers.
The new writing assistant is built on Mistral 7B, an open-source language model from French AI startup Mistral. Proton has made the tool available under the open source GPL-3.0 license, allowing for third-party security and privacy audits. Proton Scribe can be deployed locally on a user’s device, ensuring that user data remains on the device and is not shared with external servers.
One of the key features of Proton Scribe is its commitment to user privacy. The AI assistant does not learn from user data, making it ideal for enterprise use-cases where data privacy is a top priority. This focus on privacy is especially important given the concerns surrounding data privacy in the generative AI revolution.
Users have the option to run Proton Scribe on Proton’s servers for faster performance, or locally on their own devices. Running the tool locally involves downloading the model to the device, after which it operates without interacting with external servers. Proton emphasizes that it does not keep logs or share data with third parties for users who choose to run Proton Scribe from its servers.
While the tool may lack personalization due to its privacy-centric design, Proton has included “quick actions” to help users edit drafts, change tone, proofread, and make emails more concise. The company plans to improve Proton Scribe over time, adding context in a privacy-preserving manner.
Currently, Proton Scribe is limited to email use but may expand to other products in the future. Business users on specific Proton plans can access the writing assistant for an additional fee, while users on legacy plans may access it for free. Proton is looking to make Proton Scribe available on mobile devices in the future and may extend the feature to other consumer plans as well.
