How to run a private ChatGPT style app locally on your computer
I’ve been trying to understand the easiest way to run a private ChatGPT style app on my own computer, and this is the simplest explanation I found.
You need two things:
- An app
- A model
The app is the interface you use to chat.
The model is the AI that generates the answers.
For the app, beginner-friendly options include LM Studio, Jan, GPT4All, and LocalChat App. These work more like normal desktop apps. You install the app, pick a model, and start chatting locally.
Another option is Ollama with Open WebUI.
Ollama runs the model in the background, and Open WebUI gives you a ChatGPT-style interface in your browser. It’s useful if you want more control, but there are more moving parts.
For your first model, good beginner options are Llama 3.2 3B, Qwen 2.5 3B, Gemma 2 2B, or Mistral 7B. They are small enough to run on most laptops and good enough for notes, summaries, and everyday writing tasks.
If it feels fast enough and the answers are useful, that may be all you need.
For me, the main reason to use local AI is privacy, offline access, and having a local assistant for everyday work.
What local AI setup has worked best for you?