Brave Browser has introduced its own AI chat feature called Leo, joining the likes of Microsoft Edge, Google Chrome, and Opera.
Earlier this year, Brave Search introduced an AI summarizer, but it had limitations and only worked for certain queries.
About Brave Leo
Brave Leo is a native app embedded in the Brave Browser, currently available for users in the Nightly channel on desktop. It functions similarly to other AI chatbots, allowing users to ask questions, generate text, write code, and more.
Initial testing suggests that Brave Leo still needs improvement, which is why it is being released as part of the Nightly experience. User feedback will help enhance its capabilities. However, it is worth noting that Brave Leo is able to generate text quickly.
Additionally, Brave Leo can summarize articles on web pages, providing a quick overview for users without having to read the entire page.
How to access Brave Leo AI chat in Brave Browser
To access Brave Leo AI chat:
- Install the nightly version of Brave Browser (version 1.59 or later).
- Click on the Sidebar button.
- Look for the chat bubble-shaped icon labeled “Brave AI” and click on it.
Following these steps will grant users access to the Brave Leo AI chat feature, where they can explore its capabilities and limitations.
Privacy concerns
Brave Leo AI does not collect personal data, including IP addresses or other identifying information. It follows strict privacy guidelines outlined by Brave, and user login or account is not required. Conversations with Leo are immediately discarded and not stored on servers. Chats with Brave Leo are tab-specific and cannot be viewed in multiple tabs.
When using Brave Leo, only the latest query and current conversation history are shared with the server. Similarly, when summarizing a web page or YouTube video, Brave Leo only accesses the relevant text or transcript from the current webpage. Users concerned about privacy can easily bypass these features by opening a blank new tab and accessing Brave Leo from there.
Inputs to Brave Leo are submitted anonymously through a reverse-proxy to protect user anonymity.
Brave Leo Assistant has a dedicated section in the browser’s Settings, allowing users to customize options and clear Leo’s data manually. The feature can also be enabled or disabled through the browser’s flags settings.
Limitations of Brave Leo AI
Currently, Leo does not have access to live information like real-time news. However, Brave plans to add support for real-time information in the future, powered by Brave Search.
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