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How to run AI privately on your own computer #Tip 001

knowlab.in
May 21, 2025 2 Mins Read
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Here’s a quick overview of how to get a fully private AI assistant running on your own hardware. You’ll pick between Ollama (a sleek command-line interface) or LM Studio (a beginner-friendly GUI), install it on macOS, Linux, or Windows, grab an open-source model that fits your setup, and then start chatting—all without sending a single byte of your data offsite.

Choosing Your Platform

Ollama

Ollama is a lightweight, extensible command-line framework for running local large language models on macOS, Linux, and Windows (Ollama). It focuses on simplicity: you install via a single shell command and then interact with models directly in your terminal (Ollama).

LM Studio

LM Studio offers a graphical interface that’s ideal if you prefer clicking through options rather than typing commands (LM Studio). It lets you discover, download, and run models like Llama or Qwen in a chat window, with built-in features like document search (RAG) and a local API server (LM Studio).

Installation

Installing Ollama

  1. macOS & Linux 
    curl -fsSL https://ollama.com/install.sh | sh

    This one-liner fetches and runs Ollama’s installer script (Ollama).

  2. Windows
    Head to the Windows download page and grab the installer (requires Windows 10 or later) (Ollama).

Installing LM Studio

  1. Visit lmstudio.ai and download the version for your OS (Windows, Mac, or Linux) (LM Studio).
  2. Run the installer and follow the on-screen steps (typical “Next → Next → Finish” flow).

Downloading a Model

With Ollama

  • List available models 
    ollama list
  • Download and set up 
    ollama pull llama3.3

    Replace llama3.3 with any supported model name like DeepSeek-R1 or Qwen 2.5-VL (GitHub).

With LM Studio

  1. Open LM Studio and switch to the Discover tab.
  2. Browse or search for the model you want (e.g., “Llama 3.3,” “Phi,” or “Qwen 3”).
  3. Click Download next to the model name.
  4. Once downloaded, move to the Chat tab to start using it (LM Studio).

Starting Your AI Chat

Using Ollama

In your terminal, simply run:

ollama run llama3.3

You’ll be dropped into an interactive prompt—type your questions and get responses instantly, offline (GitHub).

Using LM Studio

  • Open the Chat tab.
  • Select the model from the sidebar.
  • Type your query in the input box and hit Enter—it feels just like any other chat app, but everything stays on your machine (LM Studio).

Wrap-Up

Running AI locally gives you complete control over your data, zero privacy concerns, and no server fees. Whether you’re a CLI fan or prefer a GUI, Ollama and LM Studio make it straightforward to get started in minutes—download your tool of choice, grab a model, and begin chatting, all offline and under your own roof.

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