In early October 2026, digital privacy software provider Proton invited TechRadar to a press event at its Geneva, Switzerland, HQ along with a group of journalists from other publications. We sat through a day of presentations focusing on the future and development of Proton’s products, including the popular Proton VPN and the encrypted messaging service Proton Mail. Included in that time was an address from Proton’s founder and CEO, Andy Yen, who has developed into something of a thought-leader in the digital privacy space through his interviews, social media posts, and his forthright personality. He impressed upon us the uniqueness of Proton’s non-profit ownership, swatted away questions regarding the development of a private browser that was revealed through a job listing, and how, above all else, Proton endeavors to build products its community of users genuinely wants. Later in the day, we got in some 1-2-1 time with Yen where he quizzed him on camera about the future of Proton, the rise and risks of AI, age verification, and more. Our interview with Andy Yen, published on our The Privacy Lab YouTube channel , is below, in full. In the interim, from that interview in early October to today, though, it needs to be noted that Proton has featured heavily in the news, with the company coming under considerable scrutiny over the past few days. Last week, leaked internal messages at Proton showed how both the company and Andy Yen have been enforcing an AI revolution on its workforce, with some employees having to
"re-interview" with a focus on their ability to use AI more in their current roles…