Build Your Own Chatbot: Local Applications in Generative AI on your Laptop

Date: September 17 2025

Most people know cloud-based generative AI tools like ChatGPT, but did you know that the powerful technology behind them, transformer-based Large Language Models (LLMs), can also run directly on a modern laptop?

In this hands-on, in-person workshop, you’ll explore how these AI systems work and learn how to set up and run a basic chatbot locally on your own computer. Gain a foundational understanding of transformer-based LLMs and discover how to harness their power without relying on the cloud.

By the end of this session, participants will be able to:

• Understand the core principles behind transformer-based large language models
• Set up and run a basic chatbot AI on a personal laptop
• Explore practical applications and limitations of locally hosted generative AI

This session is perfect for anyone curious about AI who wants to experiment with running models independently!

Details: Any preparatory work for the session can be found on its information page. This workshop will not be recorded.

Facilitator Bio: 

John Fink is the Digital Scholarship Librarian in the Sherman Centre.

Certificate Eligibility: This workshop is eligible for the Sherman Centre’s certificate program. For more information, visit scds.ca/certificate-program. It is also eligible for the Canadian Certificate for Digital Humanities. To learn more, visit ccdhhn.ca or contact scds@mcmaster.ca.

Credit Eligibility: This workshop counts toward credit for students in the Faculty of Science who are enrolled in SCIENCE 2SF1: Digital Skills Workshop. For any questions, please contact oursci@mcmaster.ca.