AI should both empower you and respect your privacy. While existing AI assistants feel cold and impersonal, backed by Big Tech and often raising concerns about data exploitation, we set out to create a different experience.
Lumo, our confidential AI assistant(nieuw venster), is a reflection of Proton’s core principles. The result is an AI that understands and respects your desire to get answers and assistance privately, about anything from planning a trip to summarizing meeting notes.
We needed a user interface that was just as smart, confident, and respectful as the technology itself. This is the story of how we got there.
Lumo, a name that lights the way
The name Lumo is inspired by the Latin word “lumen,” which means “light.” This choice isn’t just about aesthetics; it holds deep significance. Just as light guides us through darkness, Lumo is designed to be a beacon of clarity and trust in the digital world. It helps us navigate the path of privacy while leveraging the tools of the future.
We wanted a name that would resonate with everyone — something simple, direct, and easy to pronounce in multiple languages, just like the name we might give to our own cat. It’s a name that is easy to remember, but which also carries with it deeper symbolism. It was an obvious choice when we reviewed a list of over 1,000 potential names. Lumo symbolizes our commitment to making digital privacy accessible and understandable for everyone.
Expanding Proton’s visual universe
While Proton services have become far more widely adopted in the past decade, reaching over 100 million people, using our encrypted products is not quite mainstream yet. While everybody should use encrypted email, VPN, password manager, and other privacy tools, the reality is that not everyone does. On the other hand, AI is something that almost everyone uses, even if they don’t realize it. This requires challenging our pre-existing notions about brand and design and intentionally expanding our visual universe.
An extraordinary cat
During our extensive exploration of various design concepts, we discovered an idea that energized the team: representing Lumo as a mascot. This idea is completely novel to Proton, but sensible here. After all, we trust our pets to keep our secrets and be discrete, and they convey a sense of caring, which is also at the core of Proton.
That’s why Lumo is a cat — curious, intelligent, and attentive.
Lumo’s presence can be felt throughout our entire experience, making every interaction unique. But Lumo never intrudes on your personal space, respecting boundaries and maintaining independence.
This autonomy is a key aspect of Lumo’s design, ensuring you feel comfortable and secure in your interactions. Embodying the qualities of a loyal and independent companion, Lumo is the AI assistant that respects your privacy.
The idea of a purple Lumo might seem unusual for a cat, but it was a deliberate choice to make Lumo stand out. Purple is also Proton’s signature color. It’s bold and unique, just like Lumo.
One of the most exciting aspects of Lumo’s design is the keyhole collar, which we’ve imbued with superpowers — to destroy information or encrypt it, as the circumstances require.
Lumo’s powers are always used for good — to keep you and your data safe. You’ll discover these superpowers throughout your journey with Lumo, and they will surely surprise you.
The Lumojis
To bring Lumo’s personality to life, we created Lumojis, dedicated emojis that capture the essence of our expressive assistant. These Lumojis are meant to add a playful and engaging element to your interactions with Lumo, making your conversations more enjoyable and personal.
Step into Lumo’s universe
We have crafted an entire universe around Lumo, where the application itself is Lumo’s home. When you enter the app, you are stepping into Lumo’s world, a place where you can feel at ease because what you do there is totally confidential.
We took immense pleasure in creating this immersive universe. Lumo welcomes you and accompanies you in its world, becoming your trusted guide.
Every screen was meticulously designed to bring Lumo’s world to life. From the moment you open the app, you’ll find Lumo eagerly waiting on the prompt bar, ready to assist you with a warm smile. As you interact with Lumo, you’ll notice animations and visual cues meant to offer subtle feedback. You might see Lumo with an hourglass patiently loading your request. Or Lumo with a thoughtful expression while processing your query. Or even a ruffled Lumo responding to a tricky question.
A visual identity for an internet you control
At Proton, we think of our design assets like our ecosystem of services: continuously evolving. We designed Lumo on the same principles as our other products, prioritizing your experience and putting the interests of our community first.
The visual design for Lumo is a major extension of Proton design, but necessary for something as transformative as a truly private AI assistant. Going forward, we will continue to be innovative and push boundaries while always putting the Proton community at the heart of our design improvements.
Stay tuned for more updates and exciting design developments from Proton!
