Choose Between Cloud and On-Device AI
Match the model location to privacy, latency, cost, connectivity and phone hardware instead of treating every AI app as equivalent.
Match the model location to privacy, latency, cost, connectivity and phone hardware instead of treating every AI app as equivalent.
Core ideas
- Cloud models usually offer more capability but send prompts and attachments to a remote service.
- On-device models can work offline and keep data local, but are constrained by RAM, storage, thermals and supported hardware.
- Hybrid apps may process some steps locally and send other steps to a server; read the privacy and feature documentation.
Decision rule
Use the least-exposed model that can complete the task reliably.
Apply it on your phone
Classify five real tasks by whether they require cloud capability, local privacy or no AI at all.