Google Unveils HEIR, an Open-Source Compiler Enabling AI to Process Encrypted Data Without Decryption
Google has launched HEIR, an open-source compiler that helps developers convert AI models to work on encrypted data, aiming to make Fully Homomorphic Encryption more practical for real-world use.
Google has unveiled **HEIR** (Homomorphic Encryption Intermediate Representation), an open-source compiler designed to help developers convert AI models that operate on plaintext data so they can perform computations on encrypted data instead. The clear goal is to make **Fully Homomorphic Encryption (FHE)** — a form of encryption that allows data to be processed without ever being decrypted — more practical for real-world applications.
A key strength of HEIR is reducing the burden on developers who are not cryptography experts. Currently, implementing FHE requires deep specialized knowledge, making its application to AI work difficult and fraught with high barriers. This tool steps in to automatically translate the code.
The context of this technology points to solving the trade-off between "privacy" and "service capability" (Privacy vs. Capability), a critical issue in the AI era. Many services need users' personal data to deliver accurate recommendations, but FHE allows cloud providers to run AI processing — such as content recommendations — without ever seeing users' personal information.
Although the technology has advanced, Google acknowledges remaining limitations: FHE processing still carries a much higher computational cost than conventional processing. This means widespread real-world adoption may have to wait for further developments in both hardware and software.
This technology could change how tech companies handle the personal data of users worldwide, including Thais — especially for AI services that rely on sensitive data such as health, finance, or usage behavior — because it allows people to benefit from AI without trading away their privacy.