Photo by Guilherme Rossi on Pexels

A recent cybersecurity graduate has launched a free browser extension designed to protect user privacy when interacting with AI platforms. The extension automatically detects and redacts sensitive information from user prompts before they are submitted to AI services. While the developer embraced AI-assisted coding tools like ChatGPT and Cursor to accelerate development, they emphasized the continued importance of fundamental coding knowledge. They noted that a strong programming foundation was crucial for debugging, customizing features, and ultimately creating a robust product. The extension’s design prioritizes user privacy by employing a local Named Entity Recognition (NER) model and comprehensive pattern recognition. All processing occurs directly within the browser, preventing data from being transmitted to external servers. The graduate’s project demonstrates how AI tools can empower developers, but underscores the irreplaceable value of core coding skills.