The man who made private messaging popular now wants to bring the same privacy to AI chatbots. Moxie Marlinspike, the creator of Signal Messenger, has launched a new AI assistant called Confer. This new tool is built around strong privacy principles similar to what made Signal trusted by millions.
Unlike popular AI chatbots such as ChatGPT, Gemini, and others, Confer promises to protect user data and conversations in such a way that even server administrators cannot read them. The platform encrypts every interaction by default and runs user data inside a “trusted execution environment” or TEE. This means all of the data stays encrypted and safe from outside access.
In most other AI tools, user chats may be stored, logged, or used to train models unless a user specifically opts out. There have been cases where deleted chats were ordered to be saved by legal request, and even accidental leaks of user content to public searches. These incidents show the real concerns about how private AI systems really are. This is the reason Confer exists.
The AI uses passkeys stored only on a user’s device to encrypt both questions and answers before they even leave the device. These keys are never shared or uploaded. Confer can sync chats across a user’s devices securely, but the decryption keys still stay local and private. It also uses a trusted execution environment. In this setup, data and code inside the AI are processed in a protected hardware space that even server operators cannot access or tamper with. This level of secrecy is not common in other AI assistants.
The interface is almost similar to ChatGPT. So, there is no learning curve.
Another good thing about Confer is that it is open source. So, anyone can inspect the software code to verify the claims. This transparency builds trust and lets people see what is happening inside the AI.
It is important to note that privacy doesn’t come for free. In the free account, you can only have 5 active chats and 20 messages per day with the basic AI model. That’s very little compared to other AI chat models available. You can get the premium membership offering unlimited messages, unlimited chats, and Advanced AI models. It costs just $34.99 per month.
At the time when people treat AI chatbots like private spaces, it is important to give them an actual private space. People share personal thoughts, fears, or sensitive information with AI Chatbots as it talking to a trusted friend. But in most cases, that data can be stored or seen by others.
This type of privacy-first AI could appeal to people and organisations that are especially concerned about security, such as schools, hospitals, and businesses. I also recommend people to try this AI tool. Confer’s focus on privacy stands out and makes it worth trying. It aims to give users peace of mind while they use AI for tasks like writing, planning, or exploring ideas, without worrying about who else might see their conversations.
