Proton Mail Introduces Privacy-Focused AI Writing Assistant: Proton Scribe

Proton Mail now has a privacy-focused AI writing assistant

has a new AI-powered feature that could help it keep pace with the artificial intelligence tools and offer for their email services. Proton Scribe is an AI writing assistant that can help you compose and clean up your drafts. Scribe was designed with privacy in mind -- the assistant can't train on your inbox data, as Proton Mail has a zero-access approach to encryption. Proton doesn't save or log anything from your email drafts either. , a writing assistant was one of the most-requested features in a recent user survey. The company designed it as a secure alternative to other generative AI options. Scribe can be run locally if your . Otherwise, you can run it on Proton's no-log servers. The assistant is powered by open-source models and code. As such, Proton says the tool itself is open-source and that independent researchers are free to carry out privacy and security audits. Scribe can be accessed by clicking the pencil icon in the Proton Mail composer. After telling the tool what you want to say in an email, it will create a draft for you. You'll be able to use the Shorten and Proofread options to condense and clean up your draft. There's also the option to make the tone of your email more formal with the click of a button. You can review and tweak your drafts before sending them. Proton says Scribe only fully supports English for now and it's rolling the assistant out to eligible users. Visionary and Lifetime subscribers will have access at no extra cost. Those on a Proton Business plan -- Mail Essentials, Mail Professional or Proton Business Suite -- can try Proton Scribe for free for 14 days. After that, the tool .

Proton Mail Wants to Write Your Emails for You

Your favorite privacy-focused service is joining the AI bandwagon. Proton Mail now features an AI writing assistant called Scribe. It promises to help you write and revise emails without collecting your personal data. Scribe works like any other AI writing assistant. Give it a prompt, and it generates text. Ask it to revise or proof-read your email draft, and it will do so. Similar tools are built into Gmail and Outlook. The thing that makes Scribe special is that it doesn't collect or transmit data. It runs locally on your device and is bound by end-to-end encryption, meaning that interactions with Scribe will never be seen by Proton or any other companies (barring some catastrophic security failure, of course). There's also an option to access Scribe through a "secure, no logs-server." This option is probably intended for users who log into Proton mail from a work computer or a public workstation. (The server-based approach may also be required when using Proton Mail in a web browser -- Proton hasn't clarified this particular point). Close "Proton Scribe is not trained on data from users' inboxes, and it would be impossible for it to do so due to Proton's zero-access encryption. Proton has a policy of never retaining any data that users type into Proton Scribe. It is built, operated and run by Proton, meaning that no data is shared with any third parties, and there is no "partnership" with outside firms like OpenAI. Proton Scribe has been developed on top of open-source models and is itself open-source, allowing for independent privacy and security audits to take place." And, to my relief, Proton is keen on avoiding some of the less-than-obvious problems that often come with AI integration. Customers who want to use Scribe do not need to agree to a new privacy policy, for example, and third parties like OpenAI are not affiliated with this project in any way. The AI is based on open-source models and is itself open-source. I assume that a lot of Proton's customers will disable Scribe (which is allowed, by the way). Generative AI has ushered in a new era of data collection that many people see as a threat to personal privacy, so some pushback makes sense. That said, the whole sales pitch behind Proton is that it offers Google-like services without compromising user privacy. If you already trust Proton's email, password management, or cloud storage services, I'm not sure why you'd be afraid of Scribe. Proton Scribe is currently limited to Business, Visionary, and Lifetime subscribers. The AI only works in Proton Mail, though I assume that it'll roll out to Proton Docs at some point in the future, for better or worse. Source: Proton

Proton Scribe Is a 'Secure' AI Assistant That Writes, Proofreads Your Emails

Proton is joining rivals like Google in releasing an AI tool intended to help you write emails. Proton Scribe can both write and proofread emails. It's built into the email composer for easy access. Once active, a user just needs to add a prompt, and the AI will write an email. Then, a person can proofread it themselves or have the AI copy-edit its own email draft. There is also a "shorten" function that tightens longer drafts, as well as a "formalize" option intended to make emails sound more professional. "Scribe was designed to be a secure alternative," according to Proton, which says Scribe can't train on data from your inbox because of Proton's existing zero-access encryption. Its privacy policy means that "once you're done drafting your emails, nothing you typed gets logged or saved." "Scribe is the first mass-market AI tool that can be run entirely locally on your device, ensuring no data ever leaves your device," Proton says. "With Scribe, you are always in control of your data. You choose who on your team gets access to Proton Scribe, you can always review and revise Scribe outputs before sending any email, and you can keep it all local on your device." Proton Scribe is available on Proton's Mail Essentials, Mail Professional, and Proton Business Suite plans. It's also included with the legacy Visionary and Lifetime subscriptions.

Proton is launching an AI tool to help you write better emails

Proton has launched another tool aimed at helping users nail those important emails. Proton Scribe, a new generative AI writing assistant integrated within Proton Mail, gives users the usual array of GenAI functionalities, such as composing and editing messages. However, unlike many of its key rivals including the generally available Gemini for Workspace and Microsoft 365 Copilot, which also integrate into their respective productivity suites, Proton's tool promises maximum privacy. Recent months have seen much uproar among workers and consumers when it comes to the safe and responsible handling of their data, with many companies obscuring how they use prompts, entries and attachments to train their AI models. Acknowledging these concerns and recognising that three in five (60%) workers would like to use AI despite four in five (79%) being concerned about the use of their private data for training purposes, Proton Scribe promises never to use data from users' inboxes. The company backed up its claim by asserting that the standard end-to-end encryption makes this impossible. Proton also noted that it's built in-house, so there are no reliances on other companies such as OpenAI or Google. The company added: "Proton Scribe's on-device AI setting leverages efficient models to do all processing locally. This means that no data ever leaves the user's device, so users can benefit from AI without compromising their privacy." Proton founder Andy Yen said that the move came about after the realization that customers would use AI tools regardless of whether they were built by Proton or not, thus a secure Proton tool would only serve to improve privacy and security. Proton Scribe will be available as an add-on for $2.99 per month for Mail Essentials, Mail Professional, and Proton Business Suite customers, with Visionary and Lifetime subscribers getting free access. TechRadar Pro has asked Proton for more information about the tool's availability and its privacy credentials, but the company did not immediately respond.

Proton launches 'privacy-first' AI writing assistant for email that runs on-device | TechCrunch

Privacy app maker Proton has launched a new AI-enabled writing assistant that helps users compose emails based on simple prompts, while also capable of redrafting and proofreading an existing email before it's sent. The launch sees Proton continue on a trajectory that has seen it replicate many of Google's products and features in the productivity tooling space. Just last month, Google brought its own Gemini AI to Gmail to help users write and summarize emails, and now Proton is following suit with its own flavor. As one might expect with Proton, a Swiss company known for a suite of privacy-centric apps including email, VPN, password manager, calendar, cloud storage, and documents, its new assistant is targeted at those concerned about leaking sensitive data to third-party AI providers. Proton Scribe, as the new tool is called, is built on Mistral 7B, an open source language model from French AI startup Mistral, though Proton says it will likely tinker with this in pursuit of the most optimum model for this use-case. Additionally, Proton says that it's making Scribe available under an open source GPL-3.0 license, making it easier for third-party security and privacy audits. Proton Scribe can be deployed entirely at a local level, meaning user data doesn't leave the device. Moreover, Proton promises that its AI assistant won't learn from user data, which is particularly important in enterprise use-cases where privacy is paramount. The problem that Proton is striving to address here is real -- businesses have been slower to embrace the generative AI revolution due to data privacy concerns. And this early iteration of Proton Scribe could go some way toward appeasing such concerns. "We realised that irrespective of whether or not Proton builds AI tools, users are going to use AI, often with significant privacy consequences," Yen said. "Rather than have users copying their sensitive communications into third-party AI tools that often have appalling privacy practices, it would be better to instead build privacy-first AI tools directly into Proton Mail." For the less security-conscious, Scribe can also be configured to run via Proton's servers, which should mean it will run faster, depending on users' own hardware. For those wanting to run Proton Scribe locally, they are prompted to download the model once to their machine, from which point the AI Model runs directly on-device without ever having to interact with external servers. For those that run this on Proton's servers, the company is quick to stress that no logs are kept and no data is shared with third-parties. "Only the prompt entered by the user is transmitted to the server, and no data is ever retained after the email draft is created," a company spokesperson told TechCrunch. With Proton Scribe set up, users can type in a prompt, such as "request samples from a supplier," and then hit the generate button. Proton Scribe then spits out a template email based on the theme provided, and the user can edit and fine-tune what comes out. With these privacy-centric provisions, there is at least one notable trade-off. Given that Proton Scribe doesn't use any local data, its responses won't be particularly personalized or contextual -- they will likely be generic, a point that Proton conceded to TechCrunch. However, it said this is why it has added additional features which it calls "quick actions" designed to make it easy for users to edit the drafts, such as changing the tone, proofreading, and making it more concise. "Over time, we will look to improve Proton Scribe, adding context etc, but all in a privacy-preserving way," Proton said in a statement. While Proton Scribe is limited to email for now, the company said it may expand the tool to its other products in the future "depending on demand," one obvious integration being its recently-launched collaborative document editing app. Starting today, Proton's writing assistant will be available for Proton Mail on the web and desktop, though the company confirmed that it will look to expand the tool to mobile devices in the future. And in terms of costs, Proton Scribe is mostly targeted at business users, with those on either the Mail Essentials, Mail Professional, or Proton Business Suite able to pay an extra $2.99 per month to access the writing assistant. Additionally, those on one of Proton's legacy and limited-availability plans such as Visionary or Lifetime will also be given access to Proton Scribe for free. The company said that it may expand the feature to other consumer plans in the future.

Proton promises that its Scribe AI writing assistant won't mishandle your data

If you want to boost your productivity with AI but are concerned about privacy, Proton's new writing assistant is here to help. Proton today launched Proton Scribe, an AI writing assistant powered by privacy-protecting localized artificial intelligence (AI). Proton Scribe is integrated with Proton Mail to help you compose emails based on a single prompt. The assistant can also proofread your content and correct spelling and grammar with a single click. Also: ChatGPT vs. Microsoft Copilot vs. Gemini: Which is the best AI chatbot? The arguably most important aspect of Proton Scribe is privacy. Proton has created Scribe with a unique local AI approach, meaning prompts aren't sent to a cloud service. Instead, everything happens on your devices. You can also opt for Proton's secure "no log" servers. Many users are concerned that various AI services are using their content to train large language models and mishandling their data. Those concerns appear valid in an age where data is often sold to the highest bidder. Also: The best VPN services (and how to choose the right one for you) The Proton Scribe announcement doesn't mince words: "With other AI models made popular in recent months, data is regularly mishandled and misappropriated with no ability to opt out of data harvesting and AI training. People are rightfully concerned about the privacy implications. In a recent survey of Proton users, 79% of business users said they didn't want their private data used to train AI. Despite this, 60% of users had or would like to use AI, rising to 75% of business users. An AI writing assistant was one of the most highly demanded features." Proton says its AI is not trained on data from its users' inboxes. That process would be impossible due to the zero-access encryption used by its email service. Proton has also created a policy of never retaining data typed into Proton Scribe. No data is shared with third parties because Proton developed the new service in its entirety. Also: How your business can best exploit AI: Tell your board these 4 things Proton founder Andy Yen said of Scribe: "Rather than have users copying their sensitive communications into third-party AI tools that often have appalling privacy practices, it would be better to instead build privacy-first AI tools directly into Proton Mail. However, we wanted to do this in a uniquely Proton way, enabled by our business model that relies on the user being in control of their data, rather than the platform exploiting it." Initially, Proton Scribe will be available to Proton Mail business customers for $2.99/user/month (after a 14-day free trial). All Proton Visionary and Lifetime subscribers will get Proton Scribe for free. Proton is rolling out the feature to Proton Mail web and desktop apps. To find out more about Proton Scribe, read the official blog post.

Proton Mail's new on-device AI is a writing assistant built with your security in mind

Google will crack down on low-effort Play Store apps in August Summary Proton Mail is stepping up its game with an AI-powered feature called Scribe for efficient email composition. Privacy-conscious users can relax because Proton has developed the open-source model in-house, and data isn't shared with third parties. Proton Scribe is available to Mail Essentials, Mail Professional, and Proton Business subscribers for now, besides the Visionary and Lifetime subscribers. Proton is well-recognized as one of the best email apps for Android, especially for the privacy-conscious and pedantic users. However, Google's Gmail is widely regarded as the prime innovator in the somewhat-stagnant email space, and most of the recent additions have been AI-related. Features like Help Me Write, Smart Compose, and Smart Reply unlock convenience and efficiency, and seem to have inspired Proton Mail to follow suit while ensuring user data stays private. Related Gmail: What is Help Me Write and how do I use it? Gmail's Help Me Write feature is an AI composer that could help your email strategy Proton Mail was recently redesigned, and it already had the basics dialed in, with support for encrypted emails between Proton users, and several other privacy-focused features. The company also built a whole Google-like ecosystem around Proton Mail, with services like Proton Pass for secure password management, Proton Drive for cloud storage, and Proton VPN for unrestricted web access. Now, Proton is going the AI route as well with a new feature called Scribe for ProtonMail. Designed to work as an assistive text composer, Proton Scribe takes the effort out of composing a new email or a response to one you receiveI. Most importantly, all your data is private, and the AI can be used on-device, so data isn't shared with third parties or even with Proton. The AI model isn't even a wrapper for ChatGPT or other major providers -- the model was developed in-house. The AI models used to power this feature are encrypted to prevent unwanted involvement of third-parties, but are open-source for scrutineering as well. Email composition has never been easier Close Using the new feature in Proton Mail is rather straightforward. Users can just open the email composer and click on the pencil icon with the ✨ symbol, and a purple line should pop up in the text field, requesting a prompt. You can enter any prompt to describe the email or response you're composing, and the AI takes over from there. Other options like Shorten, Proofread, and Formalize help polish the AI-generated result to a shine. None of your prompts are logged, saved, or shared with any other entity. Scribe isn't even trained on your inbox data, so we would anticipate a slight lack of contextual awareness when using this in the real world, but that's a price worth paying for the additional privacy. That said, Proton Scribe requires a 4GB one-time download on your device, and the company recommends using Windows, macOS, and Linux machines with at least 8GB of RAM, a Chromium-based browser or the Proton Mail desktop app, and a powerful GPU. Other system requirements are detailed in the support documentation for Scribe, but Proton promises to help improve availability down the road. For now, Proton Scribe is available to Mail Essentials, Mail Professional, and Proton Business subscribers. People who are on Proton's pricier Visionary and Lifetime subscriptions get access at no additional cost as well. However, free-tier users are seemingly excluded. Here's hoping this feature is rolled out to more users and businesses using Proton soon.