Own the workspace
Self-hosted AI workspace: your own AI, on your own hardware.
A self-hosted AI workspace is the broader idea behind "self-hosted AI" — running models and agent tooling on hardware you control, instead of renting it from a closed platform. Here's what that takes, and whether it's worth it for you.
The concept
What a self-hosted AI workspace is
It spans two things people often conflate: running a model yourself, and running agent tooling yourself.
Your own model
Run open-weight models locally (or on your own server) so no prompt leaves your perimeter. Hardware-bound but private.
Your own agents
Run the agent platform yourself — Kortix from Docker, OpenWork as a desktop app, Eigent as a workspace — so the work, memory, and config are yours.
Your keys, their model
Self-host the tooling but call a hosted model with your own API keys. You own the workspace; the model is a utility.
Setup
What it actually takes
- Pick hardware. A GPU laptop/workstation for local models; a VPS or homelab for a server-side agent platform.
- Choose the model layer. Local open-weight models, or hosted models via your own keys.
- Run the platform.
kortix self-host startpulls Docker images; OpenWork installs as a desktop app. - Wire a human gate. Change requests or approvals so nothing lands unreviewed.
The trade-off
Self-hosted AI vs ChatGPT
The honest comparison is control vs convenience.
| Dimension | Self-hosted AI | ChatGPT / hosted |
|---|---|---|
| ownership | You own the models, data, and config | In the vendor's cloud |
| privacy | Prompts stay in your perimeter | Processed by the vendor |
| setup | You operate hardware and tooling | Zero setup |
| cost | Hardware + your time; free software | Subscription |
FAQ
Common questions
Can you self host your own AI?
Yes. Run open-weight models and agent platforms on your own hardware. A self-hosted AI workspace combines a local or self-hosted model with agent tooling you control.
What hardware do I need?
A GPU laptop or workstation runs smaller models locally; a VPS or homelab server works for server-side platforms like Kortix.
Self-hosted AI vs ChatGPT — which is better?
ChatGPT is zero-setup but closed and cloud-only. Self-hosted AI is more work but you own the models and data. The answer depends on whether control or convenience matters more.