How People Are Running Meta’s AI Models at Home - (little old research dated 2 yr. ago)
Meta’s powerful LLaMA large language model, originally meant for researchers, was leaked online in early March 2023. The leak made advanced AI technology widely available, sparking debate about risks and benefits.
Meta’s powerful LLaMA AI models — the kind that can write, chat, and code — are now available for anyone to run on a personal computer. No need to rely on paid APIs or cloud services.
How It All Works in One Line
Download the model ➜ Follow the setup guide ➜ Run it on your PC ➜ Start chatting with your own AI
What Is LLaMA?
LLaMA is Meta’s version of a smart AI like ChatGPT. It can:
- Answer questions
- Write emails or stories
- Help with programming
- Hold natural conversations
The model comes in four sizes:
- 7B (basic)
- 13B (medium)
- 30B (advanced)
- 65B (most powerful)
The bigger the model, the better it performs — but it also needs stronger hardware.
What Kind of Computer Is Needed?
Here’s the minimum amount of graphics memory (VRAM) needed:
| Model Size | Minimum VRAM |
|---|---|
| 7B | 10 GB |
| 13B | 20 GB |
| 30B | 40 GB |
| 65B | 80 GB |
Good news: Smaller “quantized” versions need much less VRAM
- The 7B model can run on GPUs with just 6 GB using 4-bit mode
- The 65B model can run on two RTX 3090 cards using the same trick
Easy Setup in a Few Steps
Most people followed a simple process:
- Downloaded the model files from a public GitHub page
- Used a step-by-step guide to set it up
- Started testing the AI locally — no internet connection needed
Key Resources
Model download: github.com/shawwn/llama-dl
Setup guide: rentry.org/llama-tard-v2
Alpaca (fine-tuned version): github.com/cocktailpeanut/dalai- Rent GPU time if needed: vast.ai
Run large models with low memory: github.com/FMInference/FlexGen
What This AI Can Actually Do
People have used it to:
- Write full poems, jokes, or prayers
- Generate working Python scripts
- Carry out long conversations
- Translate languages or mimic writing styles
Some users compared the largest model (65B) to GPT-3 and said the results were just as good.
Running Without a High-End GPU
There’s a tool called FlexGen that helps run big models even with lower-end GPUs (16GB+ VRAM). It uses your PC’s RAM and disk to manage the load — it’s slower, but it works.
Important Things to Know
- Use only trusted links — avoid shady sites or random downloads
- These models were meant for research, not general public use
- Don’t expect fast performance on old computers
- Running on CPUs is extremely slow — several minutes per word
- Backup your files — setting this up may involve some risk
The Alpaca Model Is Even Easier
Stanford released Alpaca, a version of LLaMA that’s fine-tuned for better answers.
It can be launched with just two commands:
git clone https://github.com/cocktailpeanut/dalai
cd dalai && npm install && npm run dev
Once done, the AI runs in your web browser.
What Hardware Are People Using?
The 7B model runs smoothly on GPUs like the RTX 3080. Those with stronger cards — like the 3090 or A100 — can try the larger models like 13B or even 65B. With tweaks like 4-bit mode, even 6GB cards can run a basic version.
Final Thoughts
This is a big deal. These advanced AI models are no longer locked behind big tech companies. Anyone with a decent computer can explore and use them.
No subscriptions. No limits. Just powerful AI that runs locally — in your full control.
!