Can you run a ChatGPT-style AI on your own laptop? A plain guide
REALReal: this changes something for you today.
AISmall open models now run on ordinary laptops. Whether yours can depends mostly on memory, not on the processor sticker.
What actually matters
- RAM: 16GB is a comfortable start for small models, 8GB is tight
- A graphics card with its own memory speeds things up a lot
- Free tools like Ollama and LM Studio do the setup for you
What to expect
Small local models are good for drafting, summarising and coding help. They are not as strong as the biggest cloud models, but they are private and free to run.
Rule of thumb: if the model file is bigger than your free RAM, it will crawl.
