How to Deploy a Personal AI Assistant Locally — Laptop to Production

Running means the assistant works when you manually start it. Deploying means it starts automatically, stays running reliably, handles errors gracefully, and is accessible through your chosen interface. This workshop covers the full deployment process — not just getting the code to run once.

Yes — with some caveats. Your laptop deployment only works when your laptop is on and awake. The workshop covers both laptop deployment for personal use and VPS deployment for always-on availability. You can start with your laptop and move to a VPS later as your needs evolve.

A VPS with 16GB RAM and at least 2 CPU cores is recommended for running a 7B parameter model. This typically costs $20 to $40 per month depending on the provider. The instructor covers provider recommendations and configuration during the final module of the workshop.

The workshop covers process management configuration for your local deployment — including how to configure your OpenClaw and Docker Model Runner setup to start automatically when your machine boots. This is covered in the deployment module with both laptop and VPS configurations.

Security configuration for your locally deployed AI assistant includes: allowlist configuration to restrict who can interact with it, DM pairing for WhatsApp authentication, sandbox mode for testing new skills safely, and proper firewall configuration for VPS deployments. Module three of this workshop covers all of these.

Yes. Your laptop or desktop is a valid local deployment for personal use. The workshop covers both scenarios — laptop deployment for always-on-when-home use and VPS deployment for always-on-anywhere access. You choose which deployment model fits your needs.