How PAI works
PAI is a complete operating system on a USB drive. You plug it in, boot from it, and run a private AI workstation. When you're done, you shut down, pull out the USB, and the computer is exactly how you found it.
1. It's a separate operating system
PAI is Debian Linux with a privacy-focused desktop and local AI tools pre-installed. It runs entirely from the USB drive — your installed Windows, macOS, or Linux is never touched. Your hard drive isn't mounted unless you explicitly ask for it.
2. AI runs locally, not in the cloud
PAI ships with Ollamaand a chat UI. Models like Llama, Mistral, and Phi run directly on your hardware. No API keys, no accounts, no requests leaving your machine.
For conversations that don't need the internet, PAI doesn't need the internet. You can unplug ethernet and turn off Wi-Fi — the AI keeps working.
3. It leaves no trace by default
Everything runs in RAM. When you shut down, the memory is wiped and the session is gone. No browser history, no cookies, no cached files on the host computer.
If you want to keep data across sessions (models, chats, notes, keys), PAI offers an encrypted persistent volume on the USB drive itself. You set the passphrase; without it the data is unreadable.
4. Network is hardened
The firewall denies all inbound traffic by default. MAC addresses are randomized on every boot. Tor is built in and one-click to enable for the whole session.
5. You own the stack
PAI is free software under the GPLv3. The build scripts, hooks, and packages are all public. You can audit the image, build your own, or fork it.