OpenSecret is a developer platform to build private apps.

The first app built using the platform is Maple AI, a private AI chat that doesn't spy on you.

How does it work under the hood and what kind of apps could be built?

ChatGPT, Grok, Gemini, Perplexity, and others collect your information.

If you keep using them, they’ll eventually know more about you than your mom!

Why would you keep on providing personal data to your very own CIA dossier? 😏

When it comes to privacy and AI, nothing beats running it locally on your own machine.

Unfortunately, most people don't have the hardware and time to manage that effectively.

OpenSecret combines the power of cloud computing with the security and privacy of a machine running locally on your desktop!

The secret sauce is the secure enclave.

It's a protected environment within a server, isolated at the hardware level.

Even if the operating system or the server gets hacked, the data in the enclave is safe.

Secure enclaves enable ways to run secure code without seeing what data passes through.

Secure enclaves are also used in smartphone chips, encrypting information e.g. behind a touch ID or a face ID.

You can think of a secure enclave as a virtual hallway with locked, private vaults.

If any data leaked from these vaults, it would be gibberish and unreadable.

A secret in the open!

With OpenSecret's secure enclave (AWS Nitro enclave), nobody, not even the devs can see the data in plaintext.

OpenSecret is an open-source platform, and cryptographic attestation proves that the code running in the enclave is the same as the code audited by the public.

Even during the AI processing, your data remains encrypted.

Maple AI uses Nvidia's GPU-based Trusted Execution Environment (TEE).

This means that users can feed sensitive information into the AI model without exposing it in plaintext to the GPU providers or to OpenSecret.

The login flow for Maple AI leverages existing social media accounts (Google, GitHub) or email (Nostr login would be nice too!)

No need to store passwords, PINs, seed phrases, QR codes, or lengthy encryption keys in order to be in control of your data!

Plus, you can sync your data across devices.

It's a win-win for both users and app developers.

Users don't have to worry about key management and app developers won't be liable for storing users' data and can focus on the app's user experience.

When sensitive data is only readable by the user, it protects both the user and the developer.

This, in turn, creates a more free and open internet!

Maple AI uses major open-source models to maximize the openness of the responses (currently Llama 3.3 70B).

The chat box doesn't filter what you can talk about (unfortunately I ran out of free credits when testing out and I forgot to ask anything controversial..)

You can have 10 chats per week for free, and if you want to use it more, you have to pay about $6/month for a starter pack.

They also have team packages and a 10% discount when paying with bitcoin.

However, currently you can use bitcoin only to buy a yearly subscription.

Maple AI can be used in the browser or you can download it locally on Mac and Ubuntu.

Both have end-to-end encryption.

Maple AI doesn't have a mobile app yet.

Maple AI could be ideal for therapists, lawyers, accountants, journalists.. or basically anyone.

Stop giving your personal and sensitive information to ChatGPT!

48% of organizations enter non-public company information to AI apps.

This can bring serious risks to company security and intellectual property.

You're training the AI with your data.. and your competitor can use the same AI that's been trained on your data!

With Maple AI, your personal info stays private.

Use it as your personal coach or an assistant that gets to know your unique situation the more you use it.

Make it create a gym program for you.. or a meal plan.

OpenSecret's platform provides a secure environment for industries that require strict data confidentiality such as healthcare, education and fintech.

It could also be used as a decentralized identity solution.

In the future, users could have an OpenSecret profile, a bit like a Google account with access to Google Drive etc., but where user data is only readable to the user himself (and possible to those he grants a permit).

You could also combine the solutions in OpenSecret's stack (private key management, encrypted sync, private AI, confidential compute).

A health startup could protect patients' information in a secure enclave, while also using confidential AI to assist with diagnoses.

OpenSecret can also bring privacy to any app with their API, to secure existing apps or to create brand new projects.

The goal is to create a future where all apps we use have privacy on by default.

It's like a "from HTTP to HTTPS moment".. remember when we got that cute little lock sign in the browser to show that our credit card payments in the early web were safe?

But this time we're also in control of our data, not just our bank accounts!

Maple AI currently doesn't support image generation and neither does it understand images.

Can't upload your personal, sensitive documents there yet!

Unfortunately Maple AI is a bit of a subscription trap.

I hope in the future they will utilize pay-per-use designs, like HTTP 402 together with the Lightning Network for zapping micropayments, so I don't have to pay $5.99 for occasional use.

During my free 10 chat testing period I tried to benchmark its answers with Grok's, and I got the feeling that Grok gave better and more accurate answers.

However, the sample was small and I'm still giving Maple AI a chance.

At least I'd rather put the sensitive and personal information to Maple rather than Grok.

If you're interested in building your own apps with OpenSecret's stack, join their dev Discord.

Have you already tried Maple AI?

What were your experiences?

P.S Would have posted this in the AI territory, but it was gone! So privacy it is..

Website X(Twitter) GitHub Discord Nostr

Website X (Twitter) Nostr

Short video introduction to Maple AI:

Podcast episode by TFTC with Anthony @TonyGiorgio and Marcus @marks from OpenSecrets hosted by Marty Bent: