Local AI Stack

The Local AI Stack transforms a MacBook Pro M4 Max into a personal AI development environment, enabling experimentation without cloud dependencies, API costs, or data privacy concerns.

The Hardware

• MacBook Pro M4 Max with 36GB unified memory
• Apple Silicon's Neural Engine for accelerated inference
• Capable of running 7B-13B parameter models at reasonable speeds

The Software Stack

• Ollama: Local model serving with easy model management
• LLM Studio: UI for multi-model conversations
• Custom Scripts: Automation for model switching and testing

Use Cases

• Reachy Development: Speech-to-speech with Piper TTS and Canary ASR
• Continuum Testing: Rapid iteration on context management
• Multi-Model Debates: Compare responses across models
• Offline Development: Full AI workflows on planes, coffee shops, anywhere

Available Models

• Llama 3.2 (various sizes)
• Mistral and Mixtral
• Gemma 2
• Qwen 2.5
• CodeLlama for development

Why Local Matters

• No API costs for experimentation
• No data leaving the device
• No rate limits during intensive testing
• No dependency on internet connectivity

Integration with DGX

The local stack handles development and testing. When experiments need more power, they graduate to DGX Spark. The two systems complement each other: local for iteration, DGX for scale.