Learning to use local AI is exciting, overwhelming, and frustrating
Baby’s first local AI agent. | Photo: Antonio G. Di Benedetto / The Verge I'm embarking on a journey I've so far been hesitant to go on: actually using AI on the regular. Giving my most personal data to cloud services has been a major hold up for me, but it's increasingly possible to run powerful models locally to see what they're capable of. Is this tech so useful that it's worth throwing gobs of money at a computer or a laptop with lots of overpriced RAM? I'll try to help you
Get smart on it
Local AI refers to running artificial intelligence models directly on a personal computer rather than relying on cloud-based services. This approach appeals to users concerned about privacy, since data stays on their own device instead of being sent to external companies. The technology is becoming more practical as computers with large amounts of memory become available, though users face challenges in choosing among numerous available models and determining useful applications for the software.
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