StoryJun 30, 20261 min read

Local by default: what that actually means

Local-first is easy to say and easy to fake. Here is what it means in SDL AI Studio, and where the cloud fits in.

A lot of tools say "private." Fewer mean it. Here is exactly what local by default means in SDL AI Studio.

Your work runs on your machine

The chat models, the image generation, and your files all run on your own computer by default. Nothing is sent anywhere just to type a message. Your prompts, your projects, and your knowledge base stay on your drive.

The cloud is a switch, not a default

Some jobs are better with a large cloud model, so we support them. The difference is that the cloud is something you turn on with your own key, not a hidden default you cannot see. When a request leaves your machine, it is because you chose it.

Why this matters for a business

  • Client work and internal drafts do not leave your control by accident.
  • You are not exposed to a service changing its terms or its prices next quarter.
  • The tool keeps working even when your internet does not.

Local by default is not a marketing line for us. It is the shape of the whole product.

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