Cognos is positioned as a privacy-friendly alternative for those who lack the resources or knowledge to run their own systems. The beta version is currently live and free (though rate-limited), offering a selection of commercial and open-source models. More technical details about Cognos' security features and screenshots of the tool can be found in the launch blog article. Users can sign up directly at the Cognos website. Feedback is encouraged to improve the tool's value to users.
Key takeaways:
- Ewan, a software engineer based in Switzerland, has developed a beta version of Cognos, a tool designed to enhance privacy in generative AI chats.
- Cognos works by encrypting user messages and AI-generated responses, similar to how ProtonMail encrypts emails.
- The tool is not designed for end-to-end encryption like Signal or WhatsApp, as AI models require access to plaintext messages.
- The beta version of Cognos is currently live and free (but rate limited), offering a selection of commercial and open-source models for users to choose from.