Free Mac app runs an AI assistant on your own computer

A new free app called Local Code lets you run an AI assistant directly on your Mac. It comes from the developers of Draw Things and is open source, meaning its code is public. When you use a local model, your prompts and files are processed on your computer, not sent to a cloud AI company.

What it does

You download an AI model inside the app and start working. You do not have to install the supporting tools separately. The assistant can create presentations, generate images and videos, analyze spreadsheets, and work with Word and PowerPoint files. It also has a built-in browser it can use to visit websites and finish online tasks.

With your permission, it can read information from Mail, Messages and Notes. It can also make changes in Calendar and Photos. According to its documentation, Apple's App Sandbox, a built-in macOS safety fence, limits which files and system areas the app can reach.

What it costs

Using a local model is free. If you prefer a cloud model, you can connect your own API key, which is an account code from an AI provider, or buy prepaid credits starting at $9.99. Cloud models change the privacy picture. Your prompts and relevant files go to the provider you pick.

Check your Mac first

The app offers Qwen and DeepSeek models sized for Macs with different amounts of memory. The downloads are big, so the details matter:

• Qwen 3.8 27B lists 16GB of memory as the minimum.
• Recommended Qwen downloads take roughly 10GB to 21GB of storage.
• Larger DeepSeek models need downloads of around 89GB or 376GB, depending on the version.

What happens next

Local Code follows a public beta that began on September 12. A direct download for Mac is available now. The developers say a Mac App Store release is coming soon, though no date was given.