Brave has unveiled its AI assistant, Leo, for Android platform users, marking a significant extension of its services. Initially launched on desktops, Leo is designed to enhance user browsing experience by offering a wide array of functionalities. These include real-time webpage or video summaries, query resolution, long-form content generation, as well as page translation or rewriting. Moreover, the assistant is capable of creating video or audio transcriptions and coding. The move is aimed at providing a comprehensive in-browser AI solution to negate the need for external large language models like ChatGPT. Brave anticipates making Leo available for iOS users in the forthcoming weeks.
Innovative Features and Functions
Leo's introduction to Android users promises a new level of interaction within the Brave browser. It allows users to effortlessly generate dinner recipes, obtain travel advice, product comparisons, or swiftly summarize extensive web content, which might be time-consuming to read through completely. The assistant grants access to several large language models (LLMs), including Mixtral 8x7B, Anthropic's Claude Instant, and Meta's Llama 213B, with Mixtral 8x7B being the default option. Nevertheless, users have the liberty to select their preferred LLM or opt for Leo Premium. This premium subscription is available at a monthly fee of $14.99, covering up to five devices across Android, Linux, macOS, and Windows platforms.
Privacy Assurance and Access
Emphasizing user privacy, Brave assures that interactions with Leo remain confidential. It states that chat sessions are not recorded or utilized for model training purposes. All requests are anonymized through a dedicated server, and responses generated by Leo are discarded post-generation. Users can access Leo without the requirement of a Brave account. For those opting for the premium version, subscription validations are through unlinkable tokens, ensuring users' activities or email addresses remain unknown to Brave. To engage with Leo on an Android device, users must update to version 1.63 of the Brave browser and initiate the assistant either via the address bar or the on-page chat option, accessible through the browser's menu. The rollout of Leo to Android is phased over several days, aiming for a seamless integration for users worldwide.
The launch of Leo on Android positions Brave alongside other browser developers integrating AI assistants, such as Opera with its Aria assistant developed in collaboration with OpenAI. This development reflects the growing trend of embedding advanced AI functionalities directly within browsers, enhancing user interaction and content accessibility.
