Epoch AI’s May 29 analysis found that the most capable open-weight AI models had trailed the best closed models by an average of four months since January 2026. That comparison does not mean those models can run on a home computer: the largest are beyond consumer hardware, and closed models won 24 of 31 tests in Alibaba’s own comparison.
Smaller models can run locally using free tools such as Ollama and LM Studio, but memory needs vary. LM Studio says it can operate entirely offline once model files are downloaded; Ollama models labeled “:cloud” run in the cloud instead.
