- Workshop
Code Your Own Local Small Language Model for AI
A hands-on workshop where participants learn to build and run open-source AI models locally on everyday hardware while exploring AI infrastructure, privacy, ethics, environmental impacts, and minimal computing practices.
Hosted by: Education Commons and Research Data & Digital Scholarship
Tired of paying for AI tokens? Not sure of the ethical, privacy, or environmental concerns of using AI? Want to create your own local AI or just curious about minimal computing?
Come by for this educational program to learn how to code your own open source AI tools like GLM, Gemma, DeepSeek, Kimi, and more into different hardware like a Raspberry Pi, an old gaming rig, or even your smartphone. Learn about which models are ideal for different applications and even try out our open source, local, and free to use AI model on hand that we will recreate during the program.
Learning Outcomes: Through this workshop, participants will
- Understand how AI model's infrastructures work
- Develop their own AI models that can be run locally
- Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of using open source models
- Incorporate best practices on if and when to use AI with minimal computing principles
The workshop will also include a discussion of the Environmental Impacts of using gen AI and mitigation strategies for informed and efficient use of these models.
Prerequisites: Familiarity with Libguide focused on AI / ML and Best Practices encouraged.
Software required: Mobile phone / Laptop device with Internet access. Optional: Ollama installed on a laptop and hardware to install open models
Audience: Students, Faculty, & Staff. Open to All.
About the Instructors : Tex Kang, Jaj Karajgikar
This event is in collaboration with AI Literacy Interest Group at Penn Libraries. You are welcome to contextualize yourself with the Empire of AI Chapter 12 "Plundered Earth."