Question 1

What is local AI?

Accepted Answer

Local AI is artificial intelligence that runs directly on your device instead of remote servers. A local AI model processes your prompts on your machine — nothing is uploaded, so it stays private, works offline, and is free of usage fees. The trade-off used to be complexity: runtimes, model files, command-line tools. Sigma removes that step by building local AI into the browser — you download a model once and use it in AI Chat, on any page, or with the browser agent.

Question 2

Is local AI as good as ChatGPT?

Accepted Answer

For everyday tasks — questions, summaries, writing, translation — modern local LLMs are surprisingly close to cloud models, and they respond instantly because nothing travels over the network. The largest cloud models are still stronger on complex reasoning, long documents, and specialized coding work. That's why Sigma doesn't force a choice: run a local model for private everyday work and switch to a cloud model for heavy tasks anytime, right from the same chat.

Question 3

Can you run AI locally for free?

Accepted Answer

Yes. In Sigma Browser, local AI is completely free: download a model and use it with no API fees, subscriptions, or usage limits. Since inference happens on your own hardware, there is no per-request cost and no provider metering your usage. The only real “cost” is disk space for the model file and some RAM while it runs — both of which you control by choosing a model size that fits your machine.

Question 4

What are the best local AI models?

Accepted Answer

The best local AI models balance quality and hardware requirements. Smaller models are fast and light enough for laptops and phones; larger ones produce better answers but need more RAM. In Sigma you can run models like Hermes and OpenClaw locally — download one right in the browser and start using it immediately, no separate tools required. If you already use another runtime, connect your own model via API key instead.

Question 5

How do you run AI locally?

Accepted Answer

Traditionally you'd install a runtime, download model weights from a hub, configure paths, and wire everything to your apps. In Sigma it's built in: download the browser, get a local model in one click or connect your own via API key, and start chatting. The model then works everywhere in the browser — AI Chat, page summaries, the agent — with no terminal, no config files, and no separate app to keep updated.

Question 6

What is the difference between local AI and cloud AI?

Accepted Answer

Local AI processes everything on your device: private by design, offline-capable, and free to use once the model is downloaded. Cloud AI runs on provider servers: more raw power and bigger models, but every prompt leaves your machine, usage usually costs money, and the provider sets the rules and rate limits. Most people end up wanting both — which is why Sigma lets you switch between local and cloud models anytime, per task.

Question 7

Do I need a powerful computer to run local AI?

Accepted Answer

Not for smaller models — modern laptops, including Apple Silicon Macs, run compact local LLMs comfortably, and even mid-range hardware handles chat and summaries well. Larger models need more RAM and benefit from a dedicated GPU, but they're optional: Sigma lets you pick a model that fits your hardware, and you can always switch to a cloud model for the heaviest tasks. If your machine can run a browser smoothly, it can run local AI.

Question 8

What is a local LLM?

Accepted Answer

A local LLM is a large language model that runs entirely on your own hardware instead of a provider's data center. The model file is stored on your device, and all inference — the actual “thinking” — happens on your CPU or GPU. In Sigma Browser, a local LLM powers AI Chat, page summaries, and the browser agent, so you get modern AI features while every prompt, page, and file stays on your machine. You can download a ready-to-use model right in the browser or connect one you already run.

Question 9

Is local AI safe and private?

Accepted Answer

Local AI is one of the most private ways to use AI, because nothing you type is transmitted to external servers — there is simply no server involved. In Sigma, prompts, page content, and documents processed by a local model never leave your device, are not logged, and are not used for training. The browser adds another layer on top: open-source code, end-to-end encrypted sync, and prompt injection defence. For sensitive topics — health, finance, legal — local AI is the safer default.

Question 10

Can I use local AI on my phone?

Accepted Answer

Yes — within the limits of mobile hardware. Sigma Browser is available for iOS and Android, and compact local models run comfortably on modern phones, handling chat, summaries, and drafting. Larger models are still better suited to laptops and desktops with more RAM, which is why Sigma lets you pick a model that matches your device — or switch to a cloud model on the phone when you need extra power.

Question 11

What can you do with local AI in a browser?

Accepted Answer

Everything you'd expect from built-in AI, minus the cloud: chat with a local AI assistant in any tab, summarize long articles, draft and rewrite text, translate, review documents, and extract key details from files. Sigma's browser agent can also run on a local model to automate web tasks — filling forms, comparing options, collecting information — while everything is processed on-device. And because a local LLM works offline, all of this keeps working on a plane or with Wi-Fi turned off.

Question 12

Is local AI open source?

Accepted Answer

Many of the best local AI models are open source or openly licensed, which is a big part of the appeal: you can see what you run, and nobody can take it away or change the terms. Sigma fits that philosophy — the browser's code is open, local models run at no cost, and you're never locked into a single provider. Download an open model right in the browser, or connect your own via API key.

Question 13

Does local AI work offline?

Accepted Answer

Yes — that's one of its biggest advantages. Because the model lives on your device, local AI keeps working with no internet connection at all: ask questions, summarize saved pages, draft and rewrite text mid-flight or off the grid. In Sigma, offline mode covers AI Chat and writing tools with your downloaded model; features that inherently need the web — live search, loading new pages, cloud models — resume when you're back online.

Local AI in Your Browser

What Is Local AI?

Why Use Local AI in Sigma Browser

Total privacy

Works offline

No setup, no terminal

Open source and free

Local AI Use Cases

Private AI chats

Local AI agent

Summarize and write offline

Work with sensitive files

How to Run AI Locally in Sigma

Download Sigma Browser

Get a local AI model

Chat, browse, automate

Local AI vs. Cloud AI

Download Sigma Browser

Questions & Answers

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Local AI in Your Browser

What Is Local AI?

Why Use Local AI in Sigma Browser

Total privacy

Works offline

No setup, no terminal

Open source and free

Local AI Use Cases

Private AI chats

Local AI agent

Summarize and write offline

Work with sensitive files

How to Run AI Locally in Sigma

Download Sigma Browser

Get a local AI model

Chat, browse, automate

Local AI vs. Cloud AI

Download Sigma Browser

Questions & Answers

Get Sigma on Android

About

Features

Resources

Download

Legal