Ollama
A tool for easily running open-source LLMs locally on your own computer.
Definition
Ollama is an open-source tool that simplifies running large language models on local hardware. It handles the complexity of model management, optimization, and inference, letting users run models like Llama, Mistral, and others with simple commands.
With Ollama, anyone with a reasonably powerful computer can run AI locally—complete privacy, no internet required, no API costs.
Why It Matters
Local AI running enables use cases impossible with cloud APIs—offline operation, complete data privacy, unlimited usage, and experimentation without cost concerns.
Ollama represents the trend toward AI as personal computing capability rather than cloud service dependency.
Examples in Practice
A journalist uses Ollama to analyze sensitive source documents locally, ensuring confidential information never leaves their laptop.
A developer tests AI integrations locally with Ollama during development, switching to cloud APIs only for production deployment—saving thousands in testing costs.