Signal, the encrypted messaging app widely regarded as a benchmark for private digital communication, has inspired a new approach to artificial intelligence as concerns grow over how AI chatbots handle personal data. As users increasingly share sensitive and confessional information with AI assistants, questions are mounting about whether conversation data is being stored, repurposed for training, or tied to advertising—echoing the very privacy issues Signal was created to challenge.
In response to these concerns, Signal co founder Moxie Marlinspike launched a new project called Confer in December. Designed to resemble services like ChatGPT or Claude, Confer focuses on strong privacy protections. The system is built so that conversations cannot be accessed by the service operator, used for training models, or linked to advertising. This approach reflects the open source principles that helped make Signal a trusted name in secure communication.
For Marlinspike, privacy is essential because of how personal these interactions can be. “It’s a form of technology that actively invites confession,” says Marlinspike. “Chat interfaces like ChatGPT know more about people than any other technology before. When you combine that with advertising, it’s like someone paying your therapist to convince you to buy something.” To prevent this, Confer encrypts messages using the WebAuthn passkey system, which works best on mobile devices and Macs running Sequoia, but can also be used on Windows or Linux with a password manager.
Drawing on the privacy-first philosophy that underpins Signal, Confer has been architected to prevent conversation data from being accessed, stored, or monetised. The service offers a free tier allowing up to 20 messages per day across five active chats, while a $35-per-month subscription unlocks unlimited usage, access to more advanced models and personalisation features. Though priced higher than mainstream AI offerings such as ChatGPT Plus, Confer positions itself as a premium alternative for users who prioritise confidentiality—a principle that has long defined Signal’s approach to secure digital communication.
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