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Getting Started

Getting Started OpenMates is a privacy-first, open-source alternative to ChatGPT and other AI assistants. Your conversations are encrypted in your browser be...

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Getting Started

OpenMates is a privacy-first, open-source alternative to ChatGPT and other AI assistants. Your conversations are encrypted in your browser before being sent to our servers, and are stored only as ciphertext. When the server needs to read your content to generate an AI response or render an invoice, it decrypts transiently in memory and never writes the plaintext to disk.

What Makes OpenMates Different

  • Privacy by design – Your messages are encrypted in your browser before being sent to our servers. Everything on disk, in caches, and in backups is ciphertext. The server decrypts content only transiently in memory when you actively need an AI response.
  • Open source – The entire codebase is publicly available and transparent.
  • Credit-based usage – You buy credits and spend them as you use paid requests and app skills.
  • Smart model selection – OpenMates automatically picks the best digital team mate for each request.
  • Built-in apps – Web search, code assistance, documents, videos, music, and more are included.

How a Conversation Works

  1. You send a message in the web app.
  2. OpenMates analyses your request and selects the right digital team mate and tools.
  3. Your team mate responds, sometimes using built-in apps (like web search or code) along the way.
  4. Follow-up suggestions appear so you can keep the conversation going easily.
  5. Everything stays encrypted on your device before being stored.

Your First Steps

  1. Create an account at the signup page. You will set up a passkey or password for secure login.
  2. Meet Suki, the welcome assistant, who will walk you through how OpenMates works.
  3. Start a new chat by clicking the compose button or pressing Ctrl/Cmd + K, then N.
  4. Explore apps in the Apps (Settings > Apps) to see what your digital team mates can do.
  5. Buy credits when you are ready (Settings > Billing). If you signed up with an invite link, you may have starter credits waiting for you.

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