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Upskill

Take it at your own pace.

Prompts and repos from people in the Collective, plus the demos, academies, books, podcasts and research worth your time. Find what fits where you work and who you are, and upvote what is worth copying.

Share somethingAI tools
The AI tools map 92Responsible AI tools 32Measuring AI's footprint 12AI and environment tools 315

Each tool keeps your data private, runs on open models, is based in Europe or uses less energy, and meets at least 2 of the 4. Open “Why it’s here” on any card for the evidence and the source.

Show tools that are32 tools

Chat assistants

Lumo (Proton)

Private AI chat assistant with encrypted chat history and optional web search.

Privacy firstOpen sourceEuropean
Why it’s here
  • Privacy first: No-logs policy, chats never used to train models, zero-access encrypted history, per Proton's Lumo privacy page.
  • Open source: Runs open-source models (Qwen 3.5, GLM 5.3, Apertus 1.5 and others) on Proton-controlled servers; app code is in Proton's WebClients repo under GPL-3.0.
  • European: Built and based in Europe: Proton is headquartered in Switzerland (European jurisdiction, outside the EU).
Source

Worth knowing: Proton is in Switzerland: in Europe, outside the EU.

Freemium (free plan; Lumo Plus from $9.99/month billed annually)

Euria (Infomaniak)

Swiss AI assistant for chat, documents and meeting transcription.

Privacy firstEuropeanLower energyOpen source
Why it’s here
  • Privacy first: Infomaniak states your data is neither saved nor used to train AI.
  • European: Hosted exclusively in Switzerland; Infomaniak states compliance with Swiss FADP and GDPR.
  • Lower energy: Infomaniak states its AI is powered exclusively by local renewable energy, with data centre heat reused to warm homes.
  • Open source: Infomaniak says Euria runs open-source AI models; it does not list a single licence.
Source

Worth knowing: Swiss, so outside the EU. The green claims are Infomaniak's own.

Freemium (free on Infomaniak's my kSuite plan; paid kSuite plans for heavier use)

GreenPT

EU-hosted AI chat that shows the energy and CO2 cost of each conversation.

Privacy firstEuropeanLower energyOpen source
Why it’s here
  • Privacy first: Chats never used to train models and never shared, per GreenPT's privacy page; backed by a DPIA.
  • European: All processing in the EU: Scaleway data centres in France plus hosting partners in Finland.
  • Lower energy: Servers run on renewable energy in Europe; each conversation displays its real-time energy use and CO2 output.
  • Open source: Runs open-source models, per GreenPT (licences vary by model).
Source

Worth knowing: Its efficiency figures are the company's own, not independently audited.

Paid (14-day free trial)

Mistral Vibe (formerly Le Chat)

French AI assistant for chat, work tasks and coding.

EuropeanLower energy
Why it’s here
  • European: Mistral AI is based in Paris; data hosted in the EU by default, per Mistral's help centre.
  • Lower energy: Mistral published a peer-reviewed lifecycle analysis with Carbone 4 and ADEME: 1.14 gCO2e and 45 mL of water per 400-token Le Chat response.
Source

Worth knowing: Free and standard plans train on your chats unless you opt out in settings.

Freemium (free plan; Pro from $14.99/month)

HuggingChat

Free chat interface for trying many open-weight AI models in one place.

Open sourcePrivacy first
Why it’s here
  • Open source: The chat-ui app behind HuggingChat is open source under Apache 2.0.
  • Privacy first: Hugging Face states it does not store user data for training and does not store request or response bodies when routing; you can delete any conversation.
Source

Worth knowing: Each model's provider handles your chat, so privacy depends on the model you pick.

Free with a Hugging Face account (usage limits apply)

Run models on your own computer

Ollama

Download and run open AI models on your own computer.

Open sourcePrivacy firstLower energy
Why it’s here
  • Open source: MIT licence.
  • Privacy first: When run locally, Ollama states it does not collect, store or have access to your prompts or responses.
  • Lower energy: Runs on your own laptop or desktop, no data centre needed for local models.
Source

Worth knowing: The benefits apply to local models. Its cloud models run on Ollama's servers.

Free (optional paid cloud models)

LM Studio

Desktop app to discover, download and chat with AI models offline.

Privacy firstLower energy
Why it’s here
  • Privacy first: With local models, no messages, chats or documents leave your device, per the app privacy policy (effective June 2026).
  • Lower energy: Runs on your own computer, entirely offline if you choose.
Source

Worth knowing: The app itself is not open source.

Free (for home and work use)

Jan

Open-source ChatGPT-style app that runs fully offline on your computer.

Open sourcePrivacy firstLower energy
Why it’s here
  • Open source: Apache 2.0 licence.
  • Privacy first: Runs 100% offline when using local models.
  • Lower energy: Runs on your own computer.
Source

Worth knowing: Any cloud model you connect follows that provider's policy.

Free

llamafile

Run an AI model from a single file, no installation needed.

Open sourceLower energyPrivacy first
Why it’s here
  • Open source: Apache 2.0 licence (Mozilla); built on llama.cpp.
  • Lower energy: Runs locally on most computers and CPUs.
  • Privacy first: Runs locally, so prompts stay on your machine.
Source

Free

Writing, translation and grammar

DeepL

High-quality translation and writing improvement for text and documents.

EuropeanPrivacy first
Why it’s here
  • European: DeepL SE is headquartered in Cologne, Germany; processing under GDPR; document translation processed on infrastructure in the EEA.
  • Privacy first: On paid Pro plans, texts are deleted after translation and not used to improve the service.
Source

Worth knowing: The free version trains on your text. Use Pro for anything sensitive.

Freemium (Pro from EUR 7.49/month billed annually)

LanguageTool

Grammar, spelling and style checker for 25+ languages.

Open sourcePrivacy first
Why it’s here
  • Open source: Core engine is LGPL 2.1 or later.
  • Privacy first: You can run your own LanguageTool server locally, so text never leaves your machine.
Source

Worth knowing: The hosted service is now run from San Francisco. Run it yourself for the privacy benefit.

Freemium (open-source core free; premium hosted plans paid)

Harper

Free, offline English grammar checker for browsers, editors and Mac.

Privacy firstOpen sourceLower energy
Why it’s here
  • Privacy first: Every check runs locally, with no cloud calls and no telemetry, per Harper's site.
  • Open source: Apache 2.0 licence (maintained by Automattic).
  • Lower energy: Lightweight local engine; its maintainers say it uses under 1/50th of LanguageTool's memory.
Source

Worth knowing: English only.

Free

Firefox Translations

Translates web pages inside Firefox, entirely on your device.

Privacy firstOpen sourceLower energy
Why it’s here
  • Privacy first: Mozilla states translations are done locally and no data leaves your device.
  • Open source: Translation models and engine released under MPL 2.0.
  • Lower energy: Small translation models run on your own device.
Source

Free

LibreTranslate

Open-source translation you can host yourself, even offline.

Open sourcePrivacy first
Why it’s here
  • Open source: AGPL-3.0 licence; uses the open Argos Translate engine.
  • Privacy first: Self-hosted and offline-capable, with no reliance on Google or Azure.
Source

Worth knowing: Translation quality is usually below DeepL.

Free to self-host (hosted API is paid)

Search and research

Ecosia (AI Search and Overviews)

Search engine with optional AI chat, profits fund climate action.

EuropeanLower energyPrivacy first
Why it’s here
  • European: Ecosia is a European company (Berlin) bound by GDPR; AI Overviews run on the European search index from EUSP.
  • Lower energy: Uses small Mistral models, avoids video generation, tracks model energy with AI Energy Score and EcoLogits, and has invested EUR 18M in renewable projects.
  • Privacy first: Ads are not personalised; Ecosia says it does not build cross-platform profiles.
Source

Worth knowing: Its renewable energy claims are its own. Results may come from Google or Bing.

Free (ad-supported)

Qwant

French search engine with AI Flash Answers that cite their sources.

EuropeanPrivacy first
Why it’s here
  • European: Qwant is based in Paris and hosted in Europe.
  • Privacy first: No targeted advertising or search history retention by default; AI queries are not stored or used for training, under zero data retention.
Source

Worth knowing: AI answers use outside models, including OpenAI's.

Free (ad-supported)

VVane (formerly Perplexica)

Self-hosted, open-source alternative to Perplexity that cites its sources.

Open sourcePrivacy firstLower energy
Why it’s here
  • Open source: MIT licence.
  • Privacy first: Runs entirely on your own hardware; search history is saved locally; web search via SearXNG.
  • Lower energy: Can use local models through Ollama instead of cloud AI.
Source

Worth knowing: Needs some technical setup (Docker).

Free

SearXNG

Private metasearch engine that combines results without tracking you.

Open sourcePrivacy first
Why it’s here
  • Open source: AGPL-3.0 licence.
  • Privacy first: Users are neither tracked nor profiled, per the project.
Source

Worth knowing: A private search layer that AI tools use, not an AI tool itself.

Free

Meeting notes and transcription

Whisper (OpenAI)

Open speech-recognition model that transcribes and translates audio in many languages.

Open sourcePrivacy firstLower energy
Why it’s here
  • Open source: Code and model weights under MIT licence.
  • Privacy first: Can run fully on your own computer, so audio never leaves it.
  • Lower energy: Runs locally; smaller model sizes suit ordinary laptops.
Source

Worth knowing: Runs from the command line. MacWhisper or Buzz are easier.

Free

whisper.cpp

Fast, lightweight version of Whisper that runs on laptops and phones.

Open sourceLower energyPrivacy first
Why it’s here
  • Open source: MIT licence.
  • Lower energy: Plain C/C++ with quantisation, runs on CPUs, Apple Silicon and even Raspberry Pi.
  • Privacy first: Runs fully offline on your device.
Source

Worth knowing: For developers. Many transcription apps use it underneath.

Free

MacWhisper

Mac app that records and transcribes meetings and files on-device.

Privacy firstLower energy
Why it’s here
  • Privacy first: All transcription is done on your device; no data leaves your Mac, per the developer.
  • Lower energy: Runs local models on your Mac, no cloud servers needed.
Source

Worth knowing: Mac only and closed source. Optional AI summaries go to the cloud.

Freemium (free version; paid Pro licence)

Buzz

Free desktop app that transcribes and translates audio offline.

Open sourcePrivacy firstLower energy
Why it’s here
  • Open source: MIT licence.
  • Privacy first: Transcribes offline on your personal computer.
  • Lower energy: Runs locally, including on integrated GPUs via whisper.cpp.
Source

Worth knowing: The Windows version shows a security warning when you install it.

Free

Nextcloud Assistant

Self-hosted assistant that transcribes recordings and summarises documents in Nextcloud.

Open sourceEuropeanPrivacy first
Why it’s here
  • Open source: AGPL-3.0 licence.
  • European: Nextcloud GmbH is registered in Stuttgart, Germany.
  • Privacy first: Nextcloud focuses on on-premise AI that runs fully self-hosted on your own servers.
Source

Worth knowing: Best for organisations already running Nextcloud.

Free to self-host (paid enterprise support)

Images and design

ComfyUI

Node-based app for generating images and video with open models.

Open sourcePrivacy firstLower energy
Why it’s here
  • Open source: GPL-3.0 licence.
  • Privacy first: Runs locally on your own computer.
  • Lower energy: Local inference on your own hardware.
Source

Worth knowing: A steep learning curve, and it needs a strong graphics card, so local energy use can be high.

Free (optional paid cloud)

Krita AI Diffusion

Plugin adding AI image generation, inpainting and editing to the free Krita app.

Open sourcePrivacy first
Why it’s here
  • Open source: GPL-3.0 licence.
  • Privacy first: Designed to run everything locally on your own hardware with open models.
Source

Worth knowing: Needs a decent graphics card to run locally.

Free (optional paid cloud generation)

Invoke (InvokeAI)

Professional canvas for AI image generation, self-hosted on your machine.

Open sourcePrivacy first
Why it’s here
  • Open source: Apache 2.0 licence.
  • Privacy first: 100% local and self-hosted; your prompts and images stay on your hardware, per the project.
Source

Worth knowing: The hosted service closed. The open-source app is now run by its community.

Free

FLUX.1 [schnell] (Black Forest Labs)

Open-weight image model that generates pictures from text in 1 to 4 steps.

Open sourceEuropean
Why it’s here
  • Open source: Apache 2.0 licence, usable for personal, scientific and commercial work.
  • European: Black Forest Labs (BFL GmbH) is registered in Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany.
Source

Worth knowing: Only the schnell version is Apache 2.0. Other FLUX models have tighter licences.

Free (weights); paid if used via hosted APIs

Upscayl

Free desktop app that enlarges and sharpens low-resolution images with AI.

Open sourcePrivacy first
Why it’s here
  • Open source: AGPL-3.0 licence.
  • Privacy first: Desktop app runs on your own computer's GPU.
Source

Worth knowing: Needs a Vulkan-compatible graphics card.

Free (desktop); paid cloud version available

Coding

Mistral Vibe Code (CLI)

Mistral's open-source command-line coding assistant.

Open sourceEuropean
Why it’s here
  • Open source: Apache 2.0 licence.
  • European: Built by Mistral AI (Paris); data hosted in the EU by default.
Source

Worth knowing: Trains on your inputs unless you opt out.

Freemium (limited coding sessions free; Pro from $14.99/month)

Aider

AI pair programmer in your terminal that edits code and commits to git.

Open sourceLower energy
Why it’s here
  • Open source: Apache 2.0 licence.
  • Lower energy: Can run against local models through Ollama, so code stays on your machine.
Source

Worth knowing: Privacy depends on the model you connect.

Free (you pay for any cloud model you connect)

Cline

Open-source coding agent for VS Code, JetBrains, desktop and terminal.

Open sourceLower energy
Why it’s here
  • Open source: Apache 2.0 licence.
  • Lower energy: Supports local models via Ollama or LM Studio, with a compact-prompt mode for smaller models.
Source

Worth knowing: Privacy depends on the model you connect. Local models need 16GB of memory or more.

Free (you pay for any cloud model you connect)

JetBrains Full Line Code Completion

Suggests whole lines of code using a small model running in your IDE.

Privacy firstLower energyEuropean
Why it’s here
  • Privacy first: Runs entirely on your local device without sending any code over the internet, per JetBrains docs.
  • Lower energy: Uses a locally run model on your own computer.
  • European: JetBrains is headquartered in Amsterdam (JetBrains N.V.) with major offices in Prague and Munich.
Source

Worth knowing: Separate from JetBrains AI Assistant, which uses the cloud.

Paid (included in IntelliJ IDEA Ultimate and other paid JetBrains IDEs)

Checked against each tool’s own site, privacy policy or code on 16 October 2026. Tools change owners, names and licences, so check the source before you rely on a claim. “Lower energy” mostly means the tool runs on your own computer, which still uses power. Writing a policy for how you use these? Start with the AI policy starter kit.