Introduction to Open and Local AI

This course helps learners understand why open and local AI matter now, especially as AI usage becomes more expensive, more automated, and more embedded in organizational workflows. Learners quickly experience running a local model for free using LM Studio, then build the technical literacy to compare open and closed models, choose appropriate models for real tasks, create a simple private AI workflow, and leave with a practical strategy for deciding when to use hosted, local, open, closed, or hybrid AI approaches.