Your AI, Your Hardware, Your Data
Cloud AI sends every conversation to corporate servers. OpenClaw runs entirely on your machine—conversations never leave your network.
Install OpenClawWhy Cloud AI Is a Privacy Problem
Your conversations train their models
When you use ChatGPT or Claude, your prompts may be used to train future models. Your proprietary information becomes their training data.
Sensitive data leaves your control
Business plans, financial data, personal health info, legal documents—all of it flows through third-party servers. You have no idea who sees it.
Compliance nightmares
GDPR, HIPAA, SOC2, client NDAs—cloud AI makes compliance nearly impossible. Your lawyers are right to be nervous.
You're the product, not the customer
Free and cheap AI tiers exist because your data has value. If you're not paying much, you're paying with your information.
How OpenClaw Keeps Your Data Yours
Runs 100% on your machine
OpenClaw installs on your laptop, desktop, or home server. The AI runs locally. Conversations are stored locally. Nothing ever leaves your network.
Bring your own API keys
Use OpenAI, Anthropic, or local models like Ollama. Your API keys, your relationship with the provider, your control over the data pipeline.
Open source and auditable
Don't trust us—verify. Every line of OpenClaw code is public. Security researchers and privacy advocates can audit exactly what happens with your data.
Works offline (with local models)
Run Llama, Mistral, or other open models locally. Complete AI assistance with zero internet connection required. Air-gapped if you need it.
Privacy Comparison: Cloud AI vs OpenClaw
| Feature | Cloud AI | OpenClaw |
|---|---|---|
| Data location | Their servers | ✅ Your machine |
| Training on your data | Often yes | ✅ Never |
| Open source | ❌ No | ✅ Yes |
| Works offline | ❌ No | ✅ Yes (local models) |
| GDPR compliant | Complicated | ✅ Your data, your rules |
| Enterprise-ready | Expensive tiers | ✅ Free, self-hosted |
| Audit trail | Limited | ✅ Full control |
Perfect For Privacy-Conscious Users
Legal & Medical Professionals
Attorney-client privilege and HIPAA don't mix with cloud AI. Run OpenClaw locally and keep privileged communications truly private.
Startups With Proprietary Data
Your competitive advantage shouldn't be training OpenAI's next model. Keep your product plans, code, and strategy completely confidential.
Security-Conscious Organizations
Air-gapped environments, government contractors, financial institutions—anyone who can't risk data exfiltration.
What People Say
“We evaluated 12 AI solutions. OpenClaw was the only one our security team approved because it's truly self-hosted.”
“As a solo attorney, I couldn't use AI assistants until OpenClaw. Now I get the productivity benefits without the ethics concerns.”
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need powerful hardware to run OpenClaw?
OpenClaw itself is lightweight—it runs on a Raspberry Pi. The model you choose determines hardware needs. Using cloud APIs (OpenAI, Anthropic) requires minimal local resources. Running local models like Llama requires a decent GPU.
Is it really 100% local?
With local models (Ollama, llama.cpp), yes—completely air-gapped. If you use cloud APIs (OpenAI, Anthropic), your prompts go to those providers, but OpenClaw itself stores nothing externally.
How hard is it to set up?
About 5 minutes for most users. One command installs everything. If you're comfortable with basic terminal commands, you'll have no issues.
Can my whole team use it?
Yes. Deploy OpenClaw on a server and give team members access via WhatsApp, Telegram, or Discord. Everyone gets AI assistance, data stays on your infrastructure.
Take Back Your Privacy
Your conversations, your hardware, your rules. Set up in 5 minutes.
Install OpenClaw📚 Discover More
Self-Hosted AI Assistant: The Complete 2026 Guide
Want complete control over your AI assistant? Self-hosting means your data stays on your hardware, your conversations remain private, and you can customize everything. This guide covers it all.
How to Self-Host Your Own AI Assistant
Complete technical guide to self-hosting an AI assistant. Choose your hardware, configure your server, and keep your data 100% private.
Permissions, Sandbox & Security Settings
Configure sandbox isolation, tool permissions, exec security policies, and macOS permission grants for secure OpenClaw operation.
1Password
Secure secrets management through conversation. Access passwords, API keys, and secure notes safely.