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Freedom GPT is an open-source AI chat interface capable of running locally on your own device.
While everyone has heard of ChatGPT, you might be wondering what Freedom GPT is.
In this post, I will explain how to get started using Freedom GPT, the app’s requirements, and the pros of cons of open source local AI models like Freedom GPT.
Let’s jump into it!
What Is Freedom GPT?
Freedom GPT is an open-source AI language model that can generate text, translate languages, and answer questions, similar to ChatGPT.
What sets Freedom GPT apart is that you can run the model locally on your own device.
This means your conversations and everything you input into the model do not leave your computer.
FreedomGPT leverages Stanford’s Alpaca models and features a simple user chat-based interface.
How Does Freedom GPT Work?
Freedom GPT lets users select an open source model and offers an intuitive chat-based interface, like ChatGPT.
When you give Freedom GPT a prompt, your input is fed through your chosen model and outputted as a response from the AI.
Keep in mind that FreedomGPT is nowhere near as powerful as ChatGPT.
This is due to personal computers’ memory (RAM) size limitations compared to enterprise systems like the one’s that ChatGPT runs on.
How To Use Freedom GPT
To use Freedom GPT, you can either download the desktop app or use the web app.
The desktop app is available for Windows and Mac, and the web app can be accessed from any web browser.
Once you have installed or opened Freedom GPT, simply start using it by typing in a prompt.
Freedom GPT will then generate a response to continue the conversation.
Download Freedom GPT
Freedom GPT is available for download from the Freedom GPT website.
You will need to enter your email to get started.
If you run Freedom GPT locally, you do not need to be concerned about your conversations being linked to your contact info.
The full GitHub repository can be found here.
A VPN or private email service can add an additional layer of privacy.
Freedom GPT Requirements
In order to run Freedom GPT on your computer, you need to meet specific minimum specs.
First, only Intel CPUs with AVX2 are confirmed to be compatible with Freedom GPT.
To check if your Intel processor has AVX2, visit Intel’s website and search for your processor’s name.
On your processor’s page, you should see AVX2 listed somewhere.
Some AMD processors also work, but there is not currently a comprehensive list.
The next most important spec is RAM.
You should have a minimum of 8 GB of RAM, and it’s recommended to have more than 10 GB.
Unlike AI image generators, your GPU is irrelevant for running the app locally.
The recommended operating systems are Windows 10/11, Linux, and MacOS.
Lastly, be sure to run the app on an SSD.
If you use a traditional hard drive, it’s unlikely the model will even load.
Freedom GPT Benefits
While the output quality may leave something to be desired, there are a few reasons why you might opt to give Freedom GPT a shot.
First off, Freedom GPT is optimized for privacy.
It can be run locally on any computer that meets the minimum requirements, which means that your data is never stored on third-party servers.
On the other hand, every message you input into ChatGPT goes through OpenAI’s servers.
While it’s unlikely that ChatGPT data is tracked at the individual user level, there is always the possibility of your messages being leaked in the unlikely scenario of a data breach.
Additionally, Freedom GPT is not subject to censorship by third-party companies or governments.
The platform is censorship-resistant, which is a huge plus for users that are frustrated by content filters on platforms like Character AI and ChatGPT.
Lastly, Freedom GPT can be customized and extended by its open source contributors.
While the project is a bit underwhelming at the moment, the platform has enormous potential to integrate with more powerful open source AI language models in the future.
The ultimate goal is to have a local LLM that you can run locally on any desktop or mobile device without connecting to the internet.
Freedom GPT Downsides
First off, the quality is very from what you may have come to expect from ChatGPT.
Looking at the Freedom GPT subreddit, some users suggested the project was a scam due to the large download file.
However, I ran the Window installer through several clean virus scans.
Several other Reddit users commented that the file was clean, but the model quality was subpar.
While there are tremendous advantages to unfiltered AI text models, one major challenge is the implicit bias present in large language models.
AI models like GPT and LLaMa are mainly trained on public writing and data found online.
Some of this training data was created by humans that have written hateful, offensive, and untrue things.
As a result, the responses generated by the AI model will potentially reflect this.
Apps like ChatGPT get around this problem by adding content filters and pre-prompt instructions to block unethical AI responses.
However, open source models and the platforms they run on, like Freedom GPT, do not include guardrails or content guidelines.
Related: If you’re unhappy with Freedom GPT’s outputs, using a ChatGPT jailbreak is an alternative method for getting around OpenAI’s content filters.
Future Of Freedom GPT
The project is still under development, but it has the potential to revolutionize the way we interact with computers.
Offline LLM interfaces like Freedom GPT could be used for 100% private AI-based therapy sessions, unfiltered creative work, and confidential business strategy and analysis.
It’s not there yet, but I see extraordinary potential for Freedom GPT and similar open source projects.
FAQ
What is Freedom GPT based on?
Freedom GPT is based on the Alpaca and LLaMA open source models. In future, more models may be added to the platform.
How do I download Freedom GPT?
To download Freedom GPT, visit the project’s website or the team’s GitHub page.
