How to Install Your Own Local, Private, Offline AI Onto Your Laptop for Free

The following instructions utilize open-source code as it is designed to be used.

Using local AI ensures that you own the AI conversation data, because it never leaves your machine.  Make AI work for you and keep you IP safe by default.

Here are the steps for installing your own personal, private and free AI on your laptop:

1. Go to the Llama.cpp page (on github) here: https://llama.app/

2. Download Llama.cpp

   

3. Download the version of the specific open-source AI model you want to run

   • Some good recent options are: Qwen 3.8, Gemma 4, and Meta’s Muse Glimmer

   • Here is a link to Qwen 3.8 27B that can run on your laptop (if your laptop has 16G of RAM or more): https://huggingface.co/unsloth/Qwen3.8-27B-GGUF?show_file_info=Qwen3.8-27B-UD-IQ2_S.gguf

   • You may need to adjust the version for your laptop’s RAM by reducing the context window in order to run the AI software.

4. Enjoy!