PRACTICAL AI GUIDE
Can AI Run Without Sending Your Data to the Cloud?
Yes, some AI workloads can run on local hardware without sending prompts and documents to a cloud model provider. Whether the complete system is private depends on every component—not just where the language model runs.
Trace the whole data path
Check the user interface, model server, document index, logs, backups, monitoring, update process, and any connected tools. A local model paired with cloud logging or an external document service is not fully local.
Match capability to hardware
Local models vary widely in size and ability. Hardware capacity affects speed, context, and simultaneous use. A smaller private model may be appropriate for a bounded task even when a cloud model performs better on broad reasoning.
Verify, do not assume
Network controls, system inspection, and documented configuration can confirm what communicates externally. Privacy claims should be based on observed architecture and policy rather than a “local AI” label.