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Swiss tech company Proton has launched Lumo, a new AI chatbot designed to facilitate safe and encrypted conversations without collecting user data. This launch underscores Proton's ambition to challenge the current leaders in the AI industry.
Lumo is now available on the web and through Proton’s mobile apps. It can assist with common tasks such as writing code, analyzing files, and drafting emails. Unlike popular chatbots like OpenAI’s ChatGPT, Lumo does not store chat data, does not track users, and does not use user inputs for training.
“Big Tech is employing AI to turbocharge data gathering,” shared Proton CEO and founder Andy Yen. “Lumo keeps the user first. It’s made to serve, not surveil.”
The new AI model is based on zero-access encryption. Even Proton cannot access the chats’ content. Web search is disabled by default. If enabled, search queries are directed to privacy-friendly search engines such as Brave or DuckDuckGo instead of commercial ones like Google.
The underlying models of the chatbot are stored on Proton’s European servers, which are covered by stricter data protection regulations. For users worried about AI-generated surveillance or metadata tracking, these design choices provide a limited level of transparency.
Lumo features a rotating backend of open-source large language models (LLMs), including Mistral Nemo, OLMO 2, and OpenHands 32B. Depending on the task at hand, it chooses the most appropriate model, OpenHands for coding questions, say, and Mistral or OLMO for text generation.
Using open-source AI instead of accessing closed models licensed from large providers, Proton also avoids worries regarding AI models trained on suspicious datasets or subject to unclear corporate policies.
Lumo has a three-tiered access model:
Guest access (no account): Free, with limited queries and no history of chat
Proton Free users: Encrypted chat history access, small file uploads, and limited favorites
Lumo Plus: Priced at Rs. 1,100/month ($12.99), this plan unlocks unlimited usage, larger uploads, extended history, and priority processing
The Plus version is also included in Proton’s Visionary and Family subscription plans.
Lumo follows Proton Scribe, the AI writing assistant introduced in Proton Mail last year. That product provided local and server-side processing with zero data logging. The new model takes the concept to a complete chatbot, bringing ethical AI to regular consumers.
GPT-4 and Gemini Ultra are currently leading in terms of linguistic precision, long-term memory but open-source models are rapidly catching up. Amid a growing atmosphere of digital monitoring and data collection, Proton’s product may appeal more than ever.
Proton is trying to redefine the expectations of what people should get from AI services. How well Lumo performs will depend on whether people are willing to sacrifice raw capacity for ethical guarantees.
Lumo is live at lumo.proton.me at the time of writing, with apps on iOS and Android. In a world ruled by data-grabbing algorithms, it’s greatest advantage might be that it is the first AI to speak less about you.
