Transparent AI: Honest About Data Flow
The Truth About Your Data
Let's be completely honest about how AI2U works with your data:
What stays local:
- Your index cards (browser localStorage)
- UI preferences and settings
- Encrypted API keys (we never see them)
- No tracking or analytics cookies
What goes to AI providers:
- Your prompts and questions
- Index card context when you reference them
- Any data you process through AI features
We use OpenAI, Anthropic, or Google's APIs - your data does go to their servers in the US. We believe honesty beats false promises.
How We Actually Handle Data
🔍 The Reality Check
AI2U is a 1-person startup building a UI layer over existing AI providers. Here's what that means:
- We're not an AI company - We don't train models or run AI servers
- We're an interface - We make OpenAI, Anthropic, and Google easier to use
- Your data flows through us to the actual AI providers
- We're honest about limitations - We're not PIPEDA compliant yet
🏔️ What Makes Us Different
Traditional AI platforms:
- Store your conversations on their servers
- Use your data to train their models
- Sell insights to advertisers
- Bundle everything into one black box
AI2U approach:
- Index cards stay in your browser
- No conversation storage on our servers
- You can bring your own API keys
- Transparent about where data goes
🇨🇦 Our Honest Architecture
Platform hosting:
- 1 Digital Ocean server in Toronto
- Hosts the web interface only
- Doesn't store your conversations
- Simple, transparent setup
Data storage:
- Index cards → Your browser's localStorage
- API keys → Encrypted in your browser
- Conversations → Not stored anywhere (unless you save them locally)
- AI processing → OpenAI/Anthropic/Google servers in the US
The Bring Your Own Key (BYOK) Advantage
🔑 Why BYOK Matters
When you bring your own API keys:
- Direct relationship with OpenAI/Anthropic/Google
- Your usage appears on your account
- Your costs controlled by you
- Provider privacy policies apply to your data
- We never see your API keys (encrypted locally)
This means AI2U acts as a smart interface, not a data middleman.
💰 The U-Coin Alternative
Don't want to manage API keys? Use our U-Coin credit system:
- We handle API calls for you
- Your data still goes to the same AI providers
- Same transparency about data flow
- Just more convenient for casual users
Either way, we're transparent about where your data goes.
| Feature | 🇨🇦 AI2U/U2AI | Foreign AI Platforms |
|---|---|---|
| AI Processing | 🇺🇸 Via Provider APIs | 🇺🇸 Their Servers |
| Platform Hosting | 🇨🇦 Toronto Server | 🌍 Various |
| Your API Keys | ✅ Bring Your Own | ❌ They Control |
| Index Cards Storage | ✅ Local Browser | ❌ Their Cloud |
| Transparency | ✅ Honest About Data | ⚠️ Vague Claims |
What We Don't Do (And Won't Do)
❌ The "Never" List
- Never store your conversations on our servers
- Never train AI models on your data
- Never sell your data to anyone
- Never track you across websites
- Never pretend to be something we're not
✅ What We Actually Do
- Build interfaces that make AI more accessible
- Store index cards locally in your browser
- Encrypt API keys in your browser
- Route prompts to AI providers transparently
- Tell you honestly how everything works
The Privacy Reality
🌍 Data Flow Transparency
Here's exactly where your data goes:
- Your Device → Index cards in browser localStorage
- Our Server → Web interface hosting only (Toronto)
- AI Providers → OpenAI (US), Anthropic (US), Google (US)
- Back to You → AI responses through our interface
Bottom line: Your prompts are processed by US-based AI providers. Our platform is hosted in Canada, but the AI processing happens where the AI companies are.
🏗️ Why This Architecture Matters
For sensitive work:
- Keep index cards local for reference
- Use AI features only when needed
- Control which data goes to AI providers
- Export your cards anytime as JSON
For everyday use:
- Seamless experience across providers
- Your data history in localStorage
- Switch between AI models easily
- No vendor lock-in
Common Questions About Privacy
🇨🇦 Can AI2U see my conversations?
No - conversations go directly from your browser to the AI providers (OpenAI, Anthropic, Google). We route the requests but don't store them. As a solo founder, I (Mathew) literally don't have access to your AI conversations.
🇨🇦 What about my index cards?
Index cards are stored in your browser's localStorage - they never leave your device unless you explicitly export them. We don't sync them to servers or cloud storage.
🇨🇦 Is this actually private?
Let's be honest: When you use AI features, your data goes to major AI providers in the US. The "private" part is that your index cards stay local, we don't store conversations, and you control what goes to AI. It's transparent privacy, not perfect privacy.
🇨🇦 Why not build your own AI models?
Because I'm one person! Building competitive AI models requires hundreds of millions of dollars and massive teams. Instead, I focus on building great interfaces for existing AI while being transparent about data flow.
🇨🇦 Will you ever change this approach?
The local-first index cards and transparent data flow are core to AI2U's design. As we grow, we might add more features, but the fundamental approach won't change. You'll always know where your data goes.
Privacy by Design Principles
🛠️ How We Build Privacy In
Local-first architecture:
- Index cards default to localStorage
- No cloud sync unless you choose it
- Export/import for backup and migration
- Works offline for local features
Transparent data flow:
- Clear documentation of data paths
- No hidden data collection
- Provider policies clearly linked
- Honest about limitations
Minimal data collection:
- No analytics cookies
- No tracking pixels
- No fingerprinting attempts
- Only functional data handling
🔒 Technical Safeguards
API key encryption:
- Keys encrypted in your browser
- Never transmitted to our servers
- You can revoke them anytime
- Direct provider authentication
Session handling:
- No persistent sessions stored
- Conversations not logged
- Minimal server-side state
- Clean separation of concerns
The Business Model Reality
💼 How This Actually Works
Current state:
- Solo founder bootstrapping
- Low infrastructure costs (1 server)
- Revenue from U-Coin credits
- No pressure to monetize data
Growth plan:
- Add team members gradually
- Expand to more AI providers
- Build more productivity features
- Always maintain transparent pricing
Why this is sustainable:
- No VC pressure to "pivot" to data selling
- Simple business model everyone understands
- Users pay for value, not to avoid being sold
- Scales with usage, not exploitation
Getting Started
🚀 Your Privacy-Conscious AI Journey
Option 1: Bring Your Own Keys
- Sign up for OpenAI, Anthropic, or Google AI
- Add your API keys to AI2U (encrypted locally)
- Use AI features with direct provider billing
- Full transparency and control
Option 2: Use U-Coins
- Purchase credits from AI2U
- We handle provider API calls
- Same data flow transparency
- More convenient for casual use
Option 3: Local-Only
- Just use the index cards system
- No AI features, no external data flow
- Pure local knowledge management
- Perfect for sensitive information
Know where your data goes. Always.
The Future of Transparent AI
🌟 What We're Building Towards
Short term:
- More AI provider integrations
- Better local storage options
- Enhanced export/import features
- Improved mobile experience
Long term:
- Local AI models for basic tasks
- End-to-end encryption options
- Team collaboration features
- Advanced privacy controls
Always:
- Honest about data flow
- Local-first architecture
- User control and choice
- Transparent business model
Why Transparency Beats Marketing
🎯 The Honest Approach
Most AI platforms promise privacy they can't deliver. We promise transparency we can prove:
- Know your data flow - We show you exactly where data goes
- Control your choices - BYOK or U-Coins, local or cloud
- Trust through honesty - No hidden data collection
- Growth through value - We succeed when you succeed
Privacy isn't about hiding data flow - it's about understanding and controlling it.
Welcome to AI that respects your intelligence.
Welcome to AI2U. 🇨🇦
No credit card required. Data stays in Canada.
AI2U: Transparent AI that shows you where your data goes. Your data. Your choice. Your AI.