Local AI (On-Device)
Definition
Local AI means an AI model runs on the device in front of you, or on nearby hardware you control, rather than sending every request to a provider’s remote model. When a task is processed entirely locally, its prompt and output do not need to leave that hardware. But an app can mix on-device and cloud processing, so an AI feature on a phone or laptop is not automatically fully local. Small and optimized models now run usefully on supported phones, laptops, desktops, web browsers, and some small computers; larger models and higher speeds still require more memory or specialized acceleration.
Why It Matters
Ads may call a feature “local” even when only part of the work stays on your device. Knowing where each request is processed helps you judge privacy, offline use, speed, and hardware claims without assuming the app is fully local or fully cloud-based.
What does that look like in practice?
Your sister texts that Apple's new desktop is "for AI at home," so she figures ChatGPT already lives on her laptop. It doesn't. ChatGPT in a browser is still a conversation with a building full of chips she does not own. Local AI would mean a model actually installed on a machine in the house — usually one with a lot of memory — so the prompt can stay there. She does not need a new desktop to keep asking ChatGPT about the family reunion.
What people actually mean when they say this
People say "local AI" or "on-device" when they mean the work happens on hardware they own. Casually they also mean "the AI on my phone" or "Apple Intelligence," which is only partly on-device. Technically it is where the model runs, not whether an app icon sits on the home screen.
Not to be confused with
Last reviewed: August 2026
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