SELF App
The foundation of the SELF ecosystem is a privacy-first AI-powered suite of communication and productivity tools that provides users with essential digital services while maintaining complete data sovereignty through zero-knowledge architecture. The app serves as the primary interface for communication, productivity, and personal data management, all built on principles of user control and privacy.
- Status: In Testing
- What It Is: Your privacy-first AI-powered suite of communication and productivity tools with zero-knowledge architecture
Core Components
SELF AI: Personalized AI assistant with persistent memory, running on dedicated infrastructure. All conversations encrypted client-side - your data never touches external models
SELF Messenger: Private communication with end-to-end encryption and Sealed Sender privacy (server cannot see who sent messages)
SELF Wallet: Secure transactions with zero-knowledge architecture
Key Features
- Zero-knowledge architecture with client-side encryption
- SELF AI with personalized LLM on dedicated infrastructure
- SELF Messenger with end-to-end encryption and Sealed Sender privacy
- SELF Wallet with secure transactions
- Multi-device support with Passkey-based authentication
- Email-only registration (no phone required)
Zero-Knowledge Architecture
SELF implements zero-knowledge architecture - a security model where the server cannot access, read, or decrypt your data. Your conversations, memories, and messages are encrypted on your device before they ever leave your device. The server stores only encrypted data that it cannot decrypt.
Core Principles:
- Zero-Knowledge Architecture: Server stores only encrypted blobs, cannot decrypt
- Passwordless Auto-Unlock: Passkey-based authentication, then automatic vault unlock after authentication
- Multi-Device Support: Use Passkey on each device, then automatic sync
- Industry Standards: WebAuthn/Passkeys, WebCrypto API (AES-256-GCM), ECDH key exchange
- Client-Side Encryption: All data encrypted in your browser before transmission
Key Privacy Features:
- Zero-Knowledge Architecture: Server stores only encrypted blobs, cannot decrypt your data
- Passwordless Auto-Unlock: Passkey-based authentication, then automatic vault unlock after authentication
- Client-Side E2E Encryption: All data encrypted in your browser before transmission using AES-256-GCM
- Sealed Sender Privacy: Server cannot determine message senders, with aggressive metadata deletion
- AI Isolation: Your conversations processed on dedicated infrastructure, never touch external models
- Email-Only Registration: No phone number required - eliminates permanent identity link
- Multi-Device Support: Use Passkey on each device with automatic sync
- Recovery Options: Create additional passkeys on other devices in security settings for redundancy
- Perfect Forward Secrecy: Automatic key rotation for messaging
- Complete Data Sovereignty: Export, delete, and control your data
System Architecture Flow
The following diagram shows how SELF's zero-knowledge architecture protects your data from setup through all interactions:
How Private AI Works:
- Recovery phrase created first - Your recovery phrase is created (required), then you choose authentication method (Email Magic Link or Passkey - both optional)
- Encryption keys generated - Keys are generated and stored locally on your device (not in the cloud)
- You send a message - Your device encrypts it locally before it ever leaves your device
- Encrypted Relay routes to SELF AI - Encrypted Relay receives encrypted data it cannot decrypt, only routes it
- SELF AI processes - Personalized LLM runs on your own dedicated infrastructure (not external models)
- Web search (Connect tier) - SELF AI can access real-time web search without revealing your query
- Response encrypted - AI response is encrypted before storage
- Your device decrypts - Only your device can decrypt the response using your local keys
- Your data never touches external models - SELF AI is isolated, your conversations stay private
How Private Messaging Works:
- You send a message - Your device encrypts it locally using your encryption keys
- Encrypted Relay routes encrypted message - Encrypted Relay cannot decrypt or see sender identity (Sealed Sender)
- Recipient's device decrypts - Only the recipient's device can decrypt using their local keys
- Zero-knowledge - Server stores encrypted data but cannot read content
Important: "Your Device" means local encryption on your computer or phone, not Google Chrome or any browser company. Encryption happens on your device using industry-standard WebCrypto API before data leaves your device.
Key Privacy Guarantees:
- ✅ SELF AI is isolated - Your conversations never touch external models
- ✅ Personalized LLM - Dedicated infrastructure, not shared with other services
- ✅ Web search privacy - Search queries processed without revealing your identity
- ✅ End-to-end encryption - All AI interactions encrypted client-side
- ✅ Sealed Sender - Server cannot see who sent messages
- ✅ Zero-knowledge storage - Server stores encrypted data it cannot decrypt
Privacy Comparison
See how SELF exceeds other platforms in privacy and security. The only platform that combines messaging and AI with complete zero-knowledge privacy.
| Feature | SELF | Signal | Telegram | ChatGPT | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zero-Knowledge | ✓ | ✓ | ⚠️ Can decrypt cloud chats | ✗ | ✗ |
| Sealed Sender | ✓ | ✓ | ✗ | ✗ | N/A |
| Anonymity | ✓ | ⚠️ Phone required | ⚠️ Phone required | ⚠️ Phone required | ⚠️ Email required |
| Metadata Deletion | ✓Zero-knowledge & deletion | ⚠️ Some metadata stored | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ |
| AI Conversations | ✓Zero-knowledge encrypted | N/A | N/A | N/A | ✗Platform can see all |
| Memory Bank | ✓Zero-knowledge encrypted | N/A | N/A | N/A | ⚠️ Stored unencrypted |
| Cryptographic Recovery | ✓ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ |