Imagine sitting down for an adventure with your friends and being able to choose how the AI behind it runs. You might want to keep it on your own PC. You might prefer an online service. You might want a little of both. I want AIDM to leave that decision with you.
That flexibility is a deliberate part of the project. People have different computers, different internet connections, and different feelings about using online AI. I don’t think everyone should have to make the same choice just to enjoy an adventure.
I’ve spent a great deal of time working on AI that runs locally on a PC. Once the necessary software and model are downloaded and installed, that local AI can run without an internet connection. If keeping the AI on your own machine matters to you, this is the option I’ve been putting that work into.
There is an important distinction here: running the AI offline and connecting a group of players are separate things. A local AI choice doesn’t mean that every way of playing together will work without a network. It means the AI itself does not have to depend on an online AI service.
The work is about more than offering a local setting. I have to keep looking at what the AI can handle, how its answers fit the adventure, and where the experience still needs attention. Choosing a model is one part of that. Making it useful during a game is the longer job.
Your PC will matter. The memory and processing power available help determine which local models you can run comfortably and how long you may wait for a response. A model that suits one computer may be a poor fit for another. Local AI can also come with limitations in the complexity or quality of what it handles. I want people to understand those trade-offs and choose an experience that suits their setup.
There is also an online option. For people who want to use newer, more capable online models, I’m building AIDM to support that route too. That brings its own considerations: an internet connection, the terms and costs of the service you choose, and deciding what you are comfortable sending to it. A newer model is an option to consider, rather than something everyone has to use.
And this doesn’t have to be an all-or-nothing decision. A hybrid approach gives us room to combine local and online AI where AIDM supports it. You might prefer to keep ordinary play local while choosing an online option for a supported task. I want those choices to be clear and intentional, with you deciding whether an online service belongs in your setup.
AIDM is still in development, and the choices don’t yet mean that every model can do every task interchangeably. Some parts currently depend on local AI, and I’m continuing to work through the practical limits. My aim is to give you useful flexibility without pretending that your hardware, your chosen model, or those limits disappear.
The reason for putting time into all of this comes back to the people at the table. I want you thinking about what your character will say, what your friends are planning, and where the adventure might go next. The choice of AI should help you get there in a way you are comfortable with.
If you want to keep the AI local, I want there to be a worthwhile path for you. If you want an online option, or a supported mixture of both, I want you to have that choice too.
Would you choose local AI, online AI, or a mixture of both—and what would matter most in making that decision?
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