A Taiwanese software developer has created a generative artificial intelligence (AI) model to help people use AI without exposing sensitive data, project head Huang Chung-hsiao (黃崇校) said yesterday.
Huang, a 55-year-old coder leading a US-based team, said that concerns over data privacy and security in popular generative AIs such as ChatGPT and DeepSeek motivated him to develop a personal AI assistant named “Mei.”
One of the biggest security flaws with cloud-based algorithms is that users are required to hand over personal information to access the service, giving developers the opportunity to mine user data, he said.
Photo: AFP
For this reason, many government agencies and private organizations around the world have prohibited employees from using AI tools, despite their powerful capabilities and convenience, Huang said.
PROXY
To address these concerns, Mei acts as a proxy agent that allows users to interact with platforms like ChatGPT, Perplexity, Bing and Flux, while shielding their personal data — much like how virtual private networks protect users’ online anonymity, he said.
The team began developing Mei late last year, focusing on integrating key functions such as chatbot access, image generation, translation and personal bookkeeping, he added.
They also included a range of popular lifestyle features, including tools for dieting, fashion advice and personal finance management, he said.
Users can submit queries to popular generative AI platforms through Mei, which acts as an intermediary to prevent service providers from linking the inquiries to users’ personal online footprints, he said.
Unlike cloud-based services, Mei does not store or transmit user data to its developers or any third parties, he said.
The app currently has 13,000 users connected via the Line messaging platform, he added.
TRADITIONAL CHINESE
Developed by Taiwanese engineers for Taiwanese users, Mei prioritizes content in traditional Chinese characters and features a user interface in Mandarin using traditional Chinese characters, Huang said.
The team is continuing to refine Mei by incorporating more cultural and geographic data relevant to Taiwan, as well as working on a Hoklo, commonly known as Taiwanese, language translation feature, he added.
Former president Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) on Monday called for greater cooperation between Taiwan, Lithuania and the EU to counter threats to information security, including attacks on undersea cables and other critical infrastructure. In a speech at Vilnius University in the Lithuanian capital, Tsai highlighted recent incidents in which vital undersea cables — essential for cross-border data transmission — were severed in the Taiwan Strait and the Baltic Sea over the past year. Taiwanese authorities suspect Chinese sabotage in the incidents near Taiwan’s waters, while EU leaders have said Russia is the likely culprit behind similar breaches in the Baltic. “Taiwan and our European
Taiwanese indie band Sunset Rollercoaster and South Korean outfit Hyukoh collectively received the most nominations at this year’s Golden Melody Awards, earning a total of seven nods from the jury on Wednesday. The bands collaborated on their 2024 album AAA, which received nominations for best band, best album producer, best album design and best vocal album recording. “Young Man,” a single from the album, earned nominations for song of the year and best music video, while another track, “Antenna,” also received a best music video nomination. Late Hong Kong-American singer Khalil Fong (方大同) was named the jury award winner for his 2024 album
Hong Kong singer Eason Chan’s (陳奕迅) concerts in Kaohsiung this weekend have been postponed after he was diagnosed with Covid-19 this morning, the organizer said today. Chan’s “FEAR and DREAMS” concert which was scheduled to be held in the coming three days at the Kaohsiung Arena would be rescheduled to May 29, 30 and 31, while the three shows scheduled over the next weekend, from May 23 to 25, would be held as usual, Universal Music said in a statement. Ticket holders can apply for a full refund or attend the postponed concerts with the same seating, the organizer said. Refund arrangements would
The Taipei District Court sentenced babysitters Liu Tsai-hsuan (劉彩萱) and Liu Jou-lin (劉若琳) to life and 18 years in prison respectively today for causing the death of a one-year-old boy in December 2023. The Taipei District Prosecutors’ Office said that Liu Tsai-hsuan was entrusted with the care of a one-year-old boy, nicknamed Kai Kai (剴剴), in August 2023 by the Child Welfare League Foundation. From Sept. 1 to Dec. 23 that year, she and her sister Liu Jou-lin allegedly committed acts of abuse against the boy, who was rushed to the hospital with severe injuries on Dec. 24, 2023, but did not