Local AI for companies: how it works and when it pays off
Local AI is artificial intelligence that runs on an appliance right inside your company. The language model, document search and OCR for scans all sit inside your network, so the text your staff enter never leaves the company.
Ask our consultantHow local AI works
A language model on the appliance
The model that writes the answers is a file stored on the appliance in your company. It has no internet access and sends nothing out.
Documents are indexed, the model is not trained
The system reads and indexes your company documents so it can find them when asked. The model itself does not change.
Sign-in and group-based access
Staff sign in with their company account. Groups decide who sees which documents, and access is checked with every question.
Answers with sources
For questions about company data, the AI answers from what it found and names the file, statute or decision. If it finds nothing, it says so.
Local AI and cloud AI
| Cloud AI | Local AI | |
|---|---|---|
| Where the model runs | with the provider | on the appliance in your company |
| Where text and documents go | to the provider over the internet | nowhere, they stay in your network |
| Internet | required | not needed |
| Web search | yes | on request |
| Newest public model right after release | yes | no |
| Payment | monthly per user | one-off for the appliance |
When local AI pays off and when it does not
It pays off
You work with contracts, case files, personal data or trade secrets.
You have a duty of confidentiality or internal rules that do not allow handing data to third parties.
Many people will use the AI and a per-user subscription would grow every year.
The system must work without the internet.
It does not pay off
A few people use AI occasionally and the data is not sensitive. A subscription is enough then.
You always want the newest public model as soon as it is released.
What your IT needs
- Space
- space and power for the appliance, in a server room or an office
- Network
- a connection with a fixed address and a DNS record
- Documents
- read access to storage if the AI should search company files
- Sign-in
- Active Directory or local accounts in the system
- Internet
- optional: remote management and updates; on request with no outside access at all
A ready-made appliance or custom development
A company can build local AI itself: buy a server, install a freely available model and add search, sign-in, access rights and management on top. That is a project of several months, and your own team then runs it.
We deliver Arminius AI as a ready-made appliance: with the software, company sign-in, group-based access, administration and monitoring. We install it on your premises within 2 weeks and look after it from then on.
Questions about local AI
What hardware do we need for local AI?
With Arminius AI, none of your own. The hardware is part of the delivery and we size it to the number of users and modules; details are in the quote.
Is a local model free?
Some language models can be used without a licence fee. Running one in a company, however, also takes powerful hardware, document search, sign-in, administration and support. With Arminius AI all of that comes in one delivery.
Can local AI replace ChatGPT?
For work with text, documents and questions about company data, yes. Web search is off by default; we switch it on at your request. The search query then goes to the internet.
Does everything have to run without the internet?
No. Internet access is optional and allows remote management and updates. The solution also works without it; offline, only the Legal module stops receiving new statutes and decisions.
Tell us what you work with. We'll suggest what makes sense.
The AI consultant asks a few questions and suggests a set of modules for your company. We then send you a proposal by e-mail.
The AI consultant’s answers are informational and do not constitute a binding offer.