Host AI From Zero – Free Local AI Course (2hrs)

Want to run AI on your own PC, without relying on the cloud? This 2-hour live session gets you there.

You'll install a local AI tool, run your first model, and chat with it — all on your own machine, in one evening. This isn't a deep-dive course; it's a hands-on introduction that takes the mystery out of self-hosted AI and gets you running something real by the end of the session.

You will start with the fundamentals of AI and large language models before learning how local AI works. We then install Ollama, download an AI model, and run it directly on your own computer.

Finally, you will learn what an AI agent is, how agents differ from normal AI chatbots, and how to configure a Hermes agent that can run from your own environment.

No AI or programming experience is required.

What you'll do in this session

• Install a local AI environment on your own computer
• Run your first AI model and chat with it locally
• Try it out for writing, coding assistance, and everyday tasks
• Understand the basics of how local AI models are deployed and managed
•   Manage locally installed models
•   Understand what an AI agent is
•   Understand the difference between a chatbot and an AI agent
•   Install and configure Hermes
•   Connect Hermes to an AI model

Who this is for

• Complete beginners with no AI experience
• Developers curious about running AI locally instead of relying on cloud APIs
• Professionals exploring AI tools for everyday productivity
• Anyone who wants a practical, no-fluff introduction to self-hosted AI

Key facts

• Start date: 11 October 2026
• Format: Live online, single session
• Time: 20:00–22:00 UK time
• Duration: 2 hours
• Level: Complete beginner — no experience required
• Fee: Free

How We Teach

This is not a lecture-only AI course.

We introduce each concept in simple language, demonstrate it live, and then give students an opportunity to perform the same task themselves.

Students are encouraged to ask questions throughout the class and troubleshoot problems together with the instructor.

The focus is on understanding what each component does and why we are using it, rather than simply copying installation commands.

By the end of the course, concepts such as AI models, local inference, Ollama and AI agents should no longer feel abstract.

Stop just using AI. Learn how to run it yourself.

Join AI From Zero and build your first self-hosted AI environment with a local AI model and AI agent.