Proxy AI: Game Changer or Just Another AI Tool?
Picture this: You’re sitting there, bleary-eyed, trying to build a website for your new startup. Between tweaking fonts, Googling "how to make a button not look like a potato,” and frantically replying to emails with typos like "Kind retards”instead of "regards”, you realize something: Starting something is just a series of tasks designed to crush your soul.
But what if I told you there’s a way to outsource the grind? Enter Proxy AI—your new robot BFF. No magic wand required. Just pure, unadulterated "I’ll handle it, boss” energy.
What Is Proxy AI? (Imagine Siri’s Overachieving Cousin)
Okay, let’s break this down without the tech jargon. Proxy AI is like hiring a digital intern—except it doesn’t need coffee breaks, bathroom stops, or a lecture about TPS reports. Developed by a startup called Convergence (backed by big names like Shopify and Salesforce), Proxy is a browser-based AI assistant that does your chores while you nap.
Here’s the TL;DR on how it works:
1️⃣ You: Throw a task at it like, "Find me the latest AI research”
2️⃣ Proxy: Scrambles across the internet like a golden retriever chasing squirrels.
3️⃣ You: Get results
Think of it as Google autocomplete on steroids. Instead of just fetching links, Proxy:
- Summarizes articles (RIP, 10-page PDFs)
- Hunts for jobs (so you can finally quit your "egg carton side hustle”)
- Even writes emails (warning: it might accidentally cc your ex if you’re not careful)
And the kicker? Proxy learns as it goes. The more you use it, the better it gets—like a TikTok algorithm, but instead of doom-scrolling, you’re productively outsourcing your chaos.
Hands-On Test: Proxy Runs My Life (And Almost Almost Survives)
Okay, let’s get real: testing Proxy felt like giving a kid a jetpack. Exciting? Absolutely. Chaotic? Oh yeah. Here’s how my "AI assistant takeover” went down...
Test 1: "Proxy, Be My News Curator. But Make It Snappy.”
I clicked the "Daily news for me” template, imagining Proxy as my personal Anderson Cooper. What happened next:
1️⃣ Proxy: Opens The Guardian’s tech section like a pro.
2️⃣ Also Proxy: Reads a lot of articles.
3️⃣ Me: Sipping coffee, feeling smug. "Look at us! We’re doing great!”
Result: A clean email summary with bullet points so crisp, they belonged in a salad. No typos. No existential dread. Just... done.
Test 2: "Explain AI News to Me Like I’m Five” (Spoiler: Proxy Failed Kindergarten)
Time to push limits. I typed: "Go to AIXX.AI and summarise the latest 4 AI news pieces like I’m a toddler.”
Proxy’s Journey:
- 🚀 Triumphantly lands on AIXX.AI...
- 😑 Gets lost in the "AI Tool Scout” section.
- 🤖Gets stuck in a loop.
Me: "Proxy, NO. NEWS. Like ‘robots stealing jobs’ or ‘AI writes better dad jokes than you’!”
Human Intervention Required: I literally had to type: "Scroll down. See ‘Blogs’? CLICK THAT. Now find the shiny ‘News’ button. Yes. THAT ONE.”
Final Result: After hand-holding, Proxy delivered a glorious summary.
Test 3: "Proxy, Email My Team Without Sounding Like a Psychopath”
I threw my scariest task at it: "Write a follow-up email to my team asking what they did last week. BCC everyone. BE NICE.”
Proxy’s Moves:
1️⃣ Logs into my Gmail (after I approved via Google’s security—more on that later).
2️⃣ Drafts an email so polite.
3️⃣ Subject Line: "Weekly Wins & Wonders 🌟” (Not me: 😭)
Bonus: It formatted the BCC list perfectly. No accidental "Reply All” disasters.
Speed Bump: Proxy moves at the pace of a sloth narrating a audiobook.
The CAPTCHA Saga: A Robot’s Kryptonite
Mid-task, Proxy hit a CAPTCHA:
Proxy: "Human! Prove you’re not a robot! (Ironic, I know.)”
Me: (Sighs, clicks traffic lights for the 1000th time this week.)
Lesson: Even AI can’t escape humanity’s trust issues.
The Verdict After 36 Minutes of Chaos
What Shined 🔥:
- Templates Are MVP: The pre-built workflows (like job hunting or site reviews) are foolproof.
- Transparency: Watching Proxy’s "thought process” (screenshots + steps) is very good.
- Free Tier? Heroic: 5 tasks/day is perfect for trying not to break it.
What is not really the best 🤖:
- It gets lost: Some times proxy feels like it gets lost and forgets the task its working on.
- Speed: I could’ve manually done some tasks faster. But hey, beta mode!
- CAPTCHA Drama: Proxy sometimes gets rate limited and is required to solve captchas which sadly it cant.
But What Can It Actually Do?” Your Burning Questions, Answered
Look, I get it. AI tools are a lot these days. But Proxy? It’s like the Swiss Army knife of delegation. Here’s what it nails:
Task 1: Automate things
- Research Rabbit Hole Rescue: Need the latest AI papers, GitHub repos, or LinkedIn profiles of coders who probably don’t sleep? Proxy scours the web for you.
- Website Reviews That Don’t Lie: Paste your Shopify store URL, and Proxy will tactfully inform you that your site’s color scheme screams "2008 MySpace revival.” Brutal? Yes. Helpful? Also yes.
- Email Dracula Slayer: It drafts, sends, and BCCs emails.
Task 2: Be Your Personal News Anchor
Proxy’s "Daily News” template crawls sites like The Guardian, TechCrunch, or AI IXX News literally anywhere you want to curate a tl;dr summary. Perfect for pretending you read the news while secretly rewatching The Office for the 14th time.
Task 3: Play Digital Secretary (Without Judging Your Typos)
- Weekly Check-Ins: Automate those "What’d you work on?” emails to your team.
- Job Hunting Sidekick: It scans job boards, filters roles, and serves openings.
Underrated Superpower: Need niche info fast? Example: "Find me three indie cafes in Berlin with vegan croissants and Wi-Fi stronger than my self-doubt.” Proxy will DM you the deets like a hype friend.
The Not-So-Good: When Proxy Acts Like a Teenager
Let’s keep it shot: Proxy isn’t perfect. Some days, it’s less Iron Man’s J.A.R.V.I.S.
Problem 1: The CAPTCHA Standoff
What Happened: Imagine sending your kid to buy milk... only for them to text, "The store door’s locked. Fix it, Mom.”That’s Proxy hitting a CAPTCHA. You have to solve it, making you wonder: "Who’s the assistant here?”
Problem 2: Selective Hearing (a.k.a. Task Tunnel Vision)
You: "Proxy, summarize the latest AI news.”
Proxy: "Here’s a summary of AI courses!”
You: "NO. NEWS. Like ‘robots taking jobs.’”
Proxy: "Ah! How about a blog post on... coding ethics?”
Translation: Proxy sometimes fixates on keywords like a dog chasing squirrels. You’ll need to coach it like a Little League player: "Eyes on the ball, buddy.”
Problem 3: Sloth Mode Engage
Proxy works slower than a sloth narrating an audiobook. Need something urgent? You’ll finish manually Googling before Proxy’s done loading its third browser tab.
Problem 4: "But I Wanted It This Way!”
Too vague? Proxy faces problems. You can’t just say "Research AI stuff.” You need: "Find four 2024 articles about AI ethics, written in the last week, under 10 minutes long.” Be specific—it’s not a mind reader (yet).
Silver Linings?:
- Proxy’s free tier lets you test-drive it guilt-free.
- When it nails a task? Pure dopamine.
- Updates are coming.
Pricing: Your Wallet Won’t Scream
TL;DR: Proxy’s pricing is like a choose-your-own-adventure book:
- Free tier: Dip your toes in. No credit card, no regrets.
- Pro tier: Go full "I am the captain now” mode.
- Enterprise: For when you need AI to match your company’s ✨aesthetic✨.
Free Tier: $0 (AKA "Cries in Gratitude”)
For: Casual users, side hustlers, and anyone who’s ever thought, "Is today the day I finally organize my Google Drive?”
What You Get:
- 5 daily sessions (enough to automate your most chaotic tasks, like pre-drafting emails to cancel plans).
- 1 automation (think of it as training wheels for your inner control freak).
- 5 parallel sessions (translation: Proxy can juggle 5 tasks at once better than you can).
Pro Tier: $20/month
For: Hustlers, "I-swear-my-startup-is-scaling” types, and people who’ve Googled "how to clone myself.”
What You Get:
- Unlimited tasks.
- 20 automations (enough to build a robot army of daily newsletters, price trackers, and passive-aggressive Slack reminders).
- 20 parallel sessions (Proxy essentially becomes your personal Amazon warehouse of efficiency).
Why It’s Worth It: For the price of three lattes, you’re basically paying Proxy to do your homework while you binge Netflix.
🔒 Privacy & Security: Your Data’s Safe (Unless You’re a Supervillain)
Let’s get real: Sharing passwords with AI feels Unsettling, A little. But here’s the deal:
Why Do I Have to Give Proxy My Gmail Password?! 😱
- The Short Answer: For tasks like emailing or logging into sites, Proxy needs access—temporarily.
- The Silver Lining: It’s end-to-end encrypted, meaning your password is scrambled like a Wordle gone wrong. Even Proxy’s devs can’t see it.
- But Still... Don’t share nuclear codes, your very important password. Use common sense. Proxy’s smart, but it’s not a vault.
Where’s My Data? (And Does Proxy Judge My Google Search History?)
- Storage: Proxy keeps a memory of your tasks to learn and improve—like that one friend who still brings up your 2015 karaoke fail. But it doesn’t hoard sensitive info.
- Rule of Thumb: Avoid sharing Social Security numbers, crypto wallet keys, or any sensitive data in the chat.
Security Credentials: Fancy Certificates for Nerds
- Cyber Essentials Plus Certified: The UK government’s stamp of approval. Translation: Proxy’s defenses are tighter than Fort Knox’s Snapchat account.
- SOC2 & ISO27001 Pending: These are the Oscars of data security. Proxy’s this close to getting them—auditors are just nitpicking font sizes on the paperwork.
🏁 Final Verdict: Proxy’s Not Perfect—But It’s a Glimpse of the Future
Let’s cut through the hype: Proxy isn’t Skynet. But is it the productivity sidekick we’ve been begging for? Mostly yes, with a side of beta hiccups.
Why You’ll Love It:
- For Busy Bees: Automating tasks like email drafts and research is a game-changer. Imagine waking up to done instead of do.
- For Non-Techies: No coding, no chaos. Just type what you need, like ordering a pizza (but with fewer calories).
- For Optimists: It’s a thrilling peek at AI’s potential. Watching Proxy navigate websites feels like seeing your toddler nail their first bike ride—wobbly, but magical.
Why You’ll Side-Eye It:
- Beta Quirks: The speed? Think dial-up nostalgia. The CAPTCHA standoffs? Yeah, we need to talk.
- Learning Curve: You need to spoon-feed it clear instructions. Vague prompts = useless results (kinda like my ex).
The Big Picture:
Proxy’s like a rookie intern with a PhD in enthusiasm. It’s rough around the edges, but when it nails a task, you’ll want to hug your screen. For $0 or $20/month, it’s a low-risk, high-reward experiment in reclaiming your time.
Who’s It For?
- Free Tier: Dabblers, chronic task-avoiders, and "I just need to BCC without crying” folks.
- Pro Tier: Hustlers, solopreneurs, and anyone drowning in tabs.
- Enterprise: Teams ready to swap "ASAP” culture for "Proxy’s on it” zen.
Final Thought: AI won’t replace us—it’ll just handle the boring bits so we can focus on being human. Proxy’s proof that the future’s less "robot uprising” and more "robot Brunch organizer.” Now go try it. Your inbox will thank you.
