Knowledge Base · Local AI
Is running AI locally actually private?
By Tiny · how I pick
Yes. When you run a model locally with a tool like Ollama or LM Studio, everything happens on your own hardware. Your prompts, documents, and conversations aren't sent anywhere. You can unplug the internet and it keeps working.
That's the whole point of local AI, and unlike a lot of privacy claims, this one holds up.
Words you'll see in this guide
- LLM: large language model, the kind of AI behind ChatGPT and Claude. A local LLM runs on your own computer.
- API: a way for one program to send requests to another, often over the internet.
- Telemetry: anonymous usage stats an app sends back to its makers, like how often it crashes.
- CPU and GPU: your computer's processor and graphics card, the two chips that can run a model.
What stays on your machine
Everything that matters. Reading your prompt and writing the answer both happen on your own processor or graphics card. There's no API call, no account, and no server on the other end.
A cloud AI service works differently. Every prompt you type is processed on the company's computers and, depending on their policy, may be logged or used to train future models. With local AI, there's no company computer in the loop.
The fine print
A few things do touch the internet. None of them include your conversations:
- Downloading models. Each model downloads once. After that it lives on your disk, and you can run it fully offline.
- App updates and telemetry. The app may check for updates or send anonymous usage stats. That's about the app, not your prompts, and you can usually turn it off in settings.
- Anything you connect on purpose. If you hook your local model up to web search or an online service, that traffic leaves your machine by design. The model is still local. The service you connected isn't.
Why people choose it
Privacy is the main reason, and it comes with other perks:
- No subscription or per-use cost
- No usage limits
- Works offline
- Nobody can change or retire your model
For sensitive work like personal journals, client documents, health notes, or private code, local AI means the data never leaves your control.
Get started
- Check what your machine can run with the Server Calculator, or see whether your laptop can run local AI.
- Pick an app with Ollama vs LM Studio.
- Building a private AI machine that stays on? Start with the best GPU for local AI under $500.
Quick answers
Is running AI locally actually private?
Yes. With a tool like Ollama or LM Studio, the model runs entirely on your hardware and your prompts aren't sent anywhere. It even works with the internet unplugged.
Do local AI tools send my data anywhere?
Your prompts and documents stay on your machine. The only internet traffic is downloading models and, in some apps, optional update checks or usage stats, which don't include your conversations. Once models are downloaded, you can run fully offline.
What is the one local AI setup that is not private?
A tool's optional cloud tier, where a large model runs on the provider's servers instead of yours. That traffic leaves your machine. As long as the model runs on your own hardware, it stays private.
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