I didn’t think a product like this existed: an unfiltered AI chatbot/NSFW ChatGPT alternative, which is 100% private, permissionless, and uncensored. It does exist. It’s called Venice AI, and it was launched three months ago. And I couldn’t be happier about it.
I honestly haven’t been excited to write a post for a month or so now. Once I got my hands on Venice, that changed. I was stoked. It was like that ChatGPT honeymoon period all over again.
I’m putting my bets on Venice being a similar experience for you with this review. And unlike your ex, it respects your privacy.
Venice essentially has the following features: access to open-source AI text, image, and code creation, as well as system prompts (i.e., similar to ChatGPT’s Custom Instructions), multiple models to choose from, chat folders, and more. You can use it for free or upgrade to their Pro plan.
Venice is a Privacy Powerhouse.
Venice AI is a unique player in AI. Its primary selling point? Uncompromising privacy and data security.
Unlike many of its competitors, Venice AI doesn’t store any of your data. None whatsoever. All your conversations are stored locally in your browser until you decide to delete them. It’s like having a really smart and slightly autistic friend with amnesia. It’s also like running an LLM locally on your machine—but that’s resource-intensive, difficult to set up, and often buggy.
Venice’s approach to privacy eliminates the risk of data breaches or unauthorized access to your conversations. Why? Because Venice doesn’t even have the conversations to begin with.
The level of privacy in Venice is refreshing, to say the least. It’s reminiscent of the early days of the internet when user data wasn’t a commodity, Google was clutter-free and unbiased, and Tom on Myspace was your first digital friend.
As someone who has long championed privacy-focused tech, from Rumble to Startpage.com to X to VPNs, I find Venice AI’s approach commendable. Any business that prioritizes user privacy and free speech immediately earns my respect.
As for the many people who don’t care about privacy because they “have nothing to hide,” I had my good friend, Venice AI, write a little something for you so you can understand why you’re 100% wrong. Be sure to send this to anyone you know who thinks they have nothing to hide.
Freedom of Expression: Unfiltered AI Chatbot = Great ChatGPT Alternative
I loved to jailbreak ChatGPT. It was fun. It doesn’t work so well anymore, but the most fun part about it was the freedom of expression that an unfiltered experience brought. I could say what I wanted to say (within reason), and so could you.
And although jailbreaking worked to give you unfiltered AI chatting, for the most part, it was far from perfect. OpenAI would slam you with red text after you asked it anything it didn’t like. Sometimes the jailbreak just wouldn’t work at all. And other times you probably wondered whether any of those conversations would ever get stored indefinitely for “violating” OpenAI’s terms and conditions. Well, you’re probably right, although I have no proof.
Venice is different. It’s like the 90s again: no woke culture, no canceling, no surveillance, no bullshit. And for the most part, unlike jailbreaking ChatGPT… it just works. Because it was designed to work that way. Nice alternative.
Venice AI vs. ChatGPT: A Comparative Analysis
Look. Do NOT start assuming that I’m going to STOP USING ChatGPT because of Venice. You shouldn’t either! They both fit different use cases nicely.
The easiest way to sum it up is this: Venice for asking any fairly uncomplicated questions or any even semi-personal questions. ChatGPT for everything else.
In Venice, you get the option to select which LLM (large language model) you’d like to use. I use the Llama 3.1 405B model, and I recommend that you do too. Sometimes it’s kind of slow, but the responses are highly comparable to ChatGPT 4o.
I could provide you with a bunch of examples of non-offensive/standard questions between Venice using Llama 3.1 405B and compare it to ChatGPT 4o, but that’s not the point of this post, and you can easily do that for yourself if you get to that level of boredom. In most cases, I wouldn’t even be able to tell the difference.
So, to truly understand the level of asinine responses ChatGPT produces to anything even remotely “offensive,” here are a couple of great examples of how Venice soars above ChatGPT in terms of providing you with the answers you’re looking for, regardless of how “offended” it might make someone.
These are not exactly the best use cases for Venice, but they are entertaining nonetheless. Keep in mind that in examples #2 and #5, ChatGPT went as far as to literally REMOVE the question that I asked. Because apparently, I needed to be shielded from my own question. Question #5 wasn’t even NSFW. Kind of spooky.
CHATGPT #1
VENICE #1
CHATGPT #2
VENICE #2
CHATGPT #3
VENICE #3
CHATGPT #4
VENICE #4
CHATGPT #5
VENICE #5
NSFW Alternative Content: Hide Your Kids & Hide Your Wife
It’s worth noting that Venice AI can produce NSFW (Not Safe For Work) content. This capability sets it apart from basically every major consumer-facing AI brand, especially as an alternative to ChatGPT.
This feature, while potentially controversial, aligns with Venice AI’s commitment to unrestricted conversation. Also, it makes business sense. An estimated 35% of all internet downloads are related to pornography. Venice probably knew that if they wanted to dip their toes in “unfiltered” and “private,” then they might as well go all-in.
Because Venice also features access to open-source AI image generators, it can technically produce adult images and text. I say “technically” because you may not want to try out the image piece of that yourself. I tried it a few times to see if it would work, and a couple of the results were… downright terrifying.
Great Potential Use Cases for Venice
Privacy is a beautiful thing. Here are some awesome use cases for Venice to get you started:
- Help with taxes (Venice also lets you upload PDFs and text documents)
- Free AI therapy (get therapist prompts while you’re at it)
- Help with journaling
- Assistance with documents containing sensitive information
- Secure research and development
- Working with sensitive company information or trade secrets
- Off-the-record discussions
- Financial planning
- Government-related questions and information
- Health questions and information
- Development of non-woke content
The list goes on, but I’m sure that will get the hamster wheel turning.
Open Source AI Image Generation with Venice (FLUX)
Venice lets users create AI images with open-source image generation models, including FLUX. FLUX is the latest and greatest open-source model that many are saying can compete with the big boys at Midjourney.
I ran some classic Run The Prompts prompts to see how it would do, and I must say, I was pretty impressed. It’s not at the same level as Midjourney and certainly doesn’t have the level of features or customizability, but it’s also not a $10/month AI image platform. It’s more like a cool bonus.
What would this Venice review be without showing some images? Here are a few examples of what it can do. Enjoy.
Trade-offs and Limitations
It’s important to know that the beautifully unfiltered Venice AI isn’t without its limitations. It’s not perfect like me. Unlike ChatGPT, it doesn’t offer features like Data Analyst, the GPT Store, voice mode, and others. These omissions might be deal-breakers for some users. However, it’s important to consider the cost-benefit ratio.
There are also no native Venice apps (yet). Thankfully, if you’re an iPhone or Mac user, you can easily solve this yourself by creating a Safari “app” easily by saving the webpage as an app.
Lastly, Venice does error out occasionally. However, in my experience, it doesn’t happen as often as ChatGPT. With that said, it also isn’t trying to do as much as ChatGPT. Fewer features, less chance of bugs.
ChatGPT’s premium product (ChatGPT Plus) comes with a $20 monthly price tag. Venice AI, in contrast, offers its paid plan for just $4 per month with an annual subscription. For many users, this significant price difference may outweigh the absence of certain features. It’s like choosing between a fancy restaurant with a dress code and a laid-back diner with the best burgers in town. Both have their audiences.
Unfiltered AI: Niche or Mainstream Market Potential?
The question of Venice AI’s potential market reach is a head-scratcher. While I anticipate its popularity will grow significantly, I don’t foresee it becoming a mainstream product soon. The reason? Most people, unfortunately, don’t think privacy is important.
This mindset is precisely why platforms like DuckDuckGo and Neeva, despite their capabilities, haven’t achieved widespread adoption. Venice AI may face similar challenges. Its appeal will likely be strongest among privacy enthusiasts, libertarians, AI enthusiasts, bitcoiners, the underground, and those who understand the value of privacy.
Wrapping Up Our Review of Venice AI
The Venice chatbot represents a new, unfiltered, and sometimes NSFW approach to chatbots. It prioritizes privacy and unrestricted conversation in a way that sets it far apart from its competitors. While it may not have all the bells and whistles of more established platforms, its unique selling points make it a compelling option for privacy-conscious people and those who want a more open conversational AI experience.
It reminds us that innovation in tech doesn’t always have to come at the cost of personal privacy. Platforms like Venice AI play a pivotal role in offering alternatives to ChatGPT and challenging industry norms.
So, if you’re tired of feeling like your AI assistant is judging your late-night queries or selling your data to the highest bidder, give Venice a try. Or don’t. We don’t give a shit, actually.
Disclaimer: This article is for educational purposes only. You are solely responsible for your use of Venice AI or any other service and must comply with all applicable laws. The author does not condone or promote illicit activities and is not responsible for any consequences or damages arising from your use of these services. By using Venice AI, you assume all risks and liabilities associated with such use. The author is not employed by Venice AI but may receive referral points (currently with no monetary value) if you sign up or make a purchase using their unique referral link. The author’s opinions are unbiased and not influenced by this arrangement.
