LocalAI is an open-source server that runs AI models on your own hardware and offers them through APIs that copy OpenAI's and Anthropic's.
In plain words
Apps written for cloud AI APIs can point at LocalAI instead, so data stays on your machine. Its core is one small program; separate backends, built on engines such as llama.cpp, vLLM and whisper.cpp, are added only when needed. It runs on laptops or servers, with or without a GPU, and has a web interface for managing models.
A quick example
Imagine a company that wants a chat feature but cannot send data to the cloud. It starts LocalAI in Docker on its own server, adds an open model through the web interface, and points its existing OpenAI-style code at the local address.
Where you'll meet it
- Self-hosted, private AI for apps.
- Swapping cloud APIs for local models.
Related
Sources
Checked by WhatIsAI against the sources above · 14 Nov 2026. Spotted an error? Report it.