Artificial Intelligence has fascinated me for a long time, especially the possibility of making it usable offline. With my project TheLocalChat, a locally running chatbot, I want to demonstrate how an AI processes information even without an internet connection.
A question for the AI.
An example interaction with the AI might look like this:
The termination clause under § 573 (2).
This isn’t a complete or clear question. Yet the bot manages to provide a meaningful answer. But why?
How an AI works with vectors
Unlike a traditional search engine that only looks for keywords, an AI works with vectors.
This means:
- Every word and sentence is represented mathematically.
- Terms with similar meanings are close together in the vector space.
- This way, the AI recognizes connections and can correctly interpret even imprecise queries.
The PDF documents serving as the basis for the answers are transferred into this vector space. This way, the AI can find relevant information even if the user doesn’t phrase their question perfectly.
Traceability through a tree view
In TheLocalChat I’ve integrated a tree view to visualize how the AI works.
- The query is broken down and analyzed.
- The relevant documents are evaluated and compared.
- The most suitable match is determined and displayed.
This isn’t necessarily the absolute truth but rather the most likely match for your query.
Why offline AI?
Unlike conventional chatbots or search engines, my system operates entirely offline. So when I try to look up google.ch when I search for something, I get an offline notification.
This means the AI works solely with locally stored documents.
Which documents are suitable for an offline AI?
To function effectively, an AI requires a solid knowledge base. This can consist of documents such as:
- legal texts
- court rulings and legal commentaries
- scientific publications
- specialized books and technical manuals
- company policies and internal documentation
- product catalogs and technical specifications
- Medical studies and pharmaceutical documentation
- patent documents and research reports
By carefully selecting the documents, the AI can be specialized in specific subject areas.
Conclusion
My project demonstrates that an AI can function effectively even without an internet connection. TheLocalChat processes texts, establishes connections, and provides answers – offline
I hope you found this glimpse into my project interesting. I’d love to hear your thoughts on offline AI.