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Free Guide to Local AI
Learn how to run your own AI system privately and securely—no technical expertise required.
This field-tested guide walks you through the exact steps to pick the right hardware, download your first model, run it locally, customize it for your workflow, and keep improving with the wider ecosystem. It is everything we wish existed when we started.
Inside the guide, you will learn:
- What local AI is (and why it beats hosted AI for privacy, control, and cost)
- The three main components every local AI system needs
- Hardware requirements explained in plain English
- Where to find, download, and run your first local AI model
- How to work with local models from the command line and friendly interfaces like BrainDrive
- Ways to customize models with system prompts, temperature, plugins, and agents
- How to discover, fine-tune, and share models from Hugging Face
- Communities and resources that keep you learning long after the guide
Privacy First
Keep prompts, documents, and personal data on your machine—no surveillance, no vendor lock-in.
Total Control
Choose the models, interfaces, and plugins you want. Change them anytime without waiting on Big Tech.
Practical and Accessible
Step-by-step walkthroughs, real-world hardware advice, and zero jargon so anyone can get started quickly.
What you will build as you go
By the time you finish the guide you will have a private AI assistant running on your machine, tuned to your needs, and ready to grow alongside your projects. Each chapter layers on the next so you stay in control at every step.
Local AI Foundations
- What “local AI” really means and how it differs from hosted tools
- Understanding AI model sizes, parameters, and quantization
- Assessing your hardware (CPU, RAM, GPU, storage) in minutes
Hands-On Setup
- Choosing your first model with Ollama
- Downloading and running a model in the terminal
- Unplug-the-internet moment: prove you are 100% offline
Customize & Extend
- Give your AI a role using system prompts and temperature
- Expand the context window for long-form workflows
- Use BrainDrive and other UIs to go beyond the command line
Advanced Exploration
- Discover specialized models on Hugging Face
- Fine-tune models for your own use cases
- Tap into local AI communities and future-proof your skills
Take back control of AI
Stop renting access to someone else's AI. With local AI you own the models, the data, and the outcomes. This guide shows you how to do it safely, efficiently, and without guesswork.
Ready to get started? Drop your email and we will send the guide straight to your inbox along with occasional BrainDrive updates. No spam, ever.