Last updated: May 19, 2025
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Overview
Sanctum AI provides a secure environment for interacting with AI by running full-featured, open-source LLMs locally on a Mac. This approach ensures that user interactions, uploaded files (like PDFs), and chat history remain encrypted and never leave the device. It offers the convenience of an AI assistant for tasks like chatting and PDF interaction, with a strong emphasis on data privacy and offline functionality.
Key Features
✦ Local LLM Operation: Runs open-source Large Language Models directly on the user's Mac.
✦ Privacy-Centric: Encrypts data, and all processing happens on-device, ensuring information does not leave the computer.
✦ Offline Functionality: Operates without needing an internet connection for core AI tasks.
✦ Chat with AI: Allows users to converse with various locally run LLMs.
✦ Interact with PDFs: Enables users to work with PDF documents within the private AI environment.
✦ Model Versatility (Choice of Models): Provides the ability to choose from different open-source AI models.
Advantages
🟩 Enhanced Data Privacy: All data and interactions are encrypted and processed locally, not sent to the cloud.
🟩 Offline Access: AI assistant can be used even without an internet connection.
🟩 User Control: Users have more control over their data and the AI models they use.
🟩 Security: Reduces risks associated with transmitting sensitive data to third-party AI services.
🟩 Cost-Effective (Potentially): Avoids per-query costs associated with cloud-based APIs for users running their own models.
Limitations
🟥 Mac Only (Currently): Available only for macOS users, though Windows/Linux support is planned.
🟥 No Mobile Version (Yet): Mobile support for iOS/Android is planned but not yet available.
🟥 Performance Dependent on Hardware: Running LLMs locally can be resource-intensive and performance depends on the Mac's specifications.
🟥 Setup & Model Management: May require some technical understanding to download, select, and manage different LLMs.
🟥 Newer Product: Being a newer entrant, it may have a smaller community and fewer established reviews or third-party integrations.
Use Cases
➤ Private AI Chat: Engaging in conversations with an AI assistant without data leaving the device.
➤ Secure Document Interaction: Analyzing, summarizing, or querying PDF documents locally and privately.
➤ Offline AI Tasks: Using AI capabilities when an internet connection is unavailable or undesirable.
➤ Controlling Data Usage: For users who want to ensure their data is not used for training external AI models.
➤ Experimenting with Open-Source LLMs: Trying out different local open-source models in a secure environment.
Pricing Details
Sanctum AI operates on a freemium model.
⭘ Free Version: Offers basic functionality, allowing users to download the app and run smaller, compatible open-source LLMs locally for private chat.
⭘ Pro Plan (e.g., starting at $8/month): A subscription that unlocks advanced features, such as support for larger and more powerful AI models, enhanced PDF interaction capabilities, faster performance, and priority access to new updates. A free trial for the Pro features is typically available.
(Note: The primary "cost" for free users is the computational resources of their own Mac. Pricing for the Pro plan is subject to change.)
Summary
Sanctum AI is a private, local AI assistant for Mac that runs open-source LLMs on your device, enabling secure chat and PDF interaction with encrypted data that never leaves your computer.
Released Dates
2024
Oct – Added support for interacting with multiple documents simultaneously within a single chat session.
Mar – Launched its web browser extension, allowing users to send selected text or web page content to the local AI for processing.
2023
Jul – The first public version of Sanctum AI was released for macOS, offering private, on-device chat with open-source LLMs.
2022
Nov – Sanctum AI was founded with the mission to create a private, local AI assistant.
