Open source AI models can be run through four primary deployment methods, each balancing privacy, cost, and technical complexity: local setups on personal hardware, browser-based platforms, managed inference APIs, and virtual private servers (VPS). 1. Local Setup Running models directly on your device offers complete privacy, offline functionality, and zero recurring costs, though it requires sufficient hardware (GPU or RAM). Tools like Ollama (via CLI), LM Studio (GUI), and llama.cpp (terminal-based)
