Private local processing
Runs open-weight language models in the Mac’s memory and processes chats locally, without sending messages, files, voice or memory to a cloud service.
Gerty
Gerty is a local AI assistant for Apple silicon Macs that handles chat, writing, documents, voice and selected Mac app tasks without sending data to the cloud. It works offline after model downloads and is designed for users who want private everyday AI without an account or subscription.
Local AI assistance for Mac
Gerty is a native AI assistant for Mac that runs open-weight language models on the computer’s Apple silicon instead of sending prompts to a cloud service. It supports chat, writing, document questions, voice interaction and selected access to Mac apps, with no account required for normal use.
The app is designed to make local AI practical without requiring users to select and configure models manually. Gerty measures the Mac, recommends models that fit its memory and lets users work offline after the required model downloads. It is aimed at private everyday assistance, while the site notes that the largest cloud models can still be stronger for the hardest reasoning tasks and very large research workloads.
Core features
Chat and writing assistance
Provides drafting, rewriting, translation, summaries, explanations and question answering, with support for German, English and other languages.
Document and PDF work
Searches shared folders by meaning across PDFs, Word files, scans and photos, cites the source file and page, and can edit PDFs in place while preserving layout and asking before changes.
Mac app access
With Mac access enabled, can find mail, draft replies, read or add calendar events, work with reminders, contacts and notes, run Shortcuts and read the screen; actions that change data require confirmation.
Voice and images
Offers local voice input from the notch and spoken answers using on-device neural voices in 31 languages. It also includes image generation on the Mac.
Models, projects and developer access
Includes task-specific model selection, memory stored in an editable file on the Mac, projects, web access when enabled, connectors, Xcode and Microsoft 365 support, and a local API for Claude Code, Codex and aider.
Practical use cases
Research a document folder
Share a folder containing PDFs, Word files, scans or photos, then ask questions in natural language. Gerty searches by meaning and shows the source file and page, which can help with reviewing and locating information in a personal document set.
Write and summarise privately
Use local chat to draft, rewrite, translate or summarise text, including material that users prefer not to upload to a third-party service. The work can continue without an internet connection once the model is available.
Coordinate mail and calendar
Enable Mac access to find relevant mail, prepare a reply, review or add calendar events, and work with reminders, contacts or notes. Gerty asks for approval before actions that change data.
Use voice or coding assistance
Ask from the Mac’s notch in another app and receive a spoken response, or use the local API with Claude Code, Codex or aider for coding workflows. The site also describes a coding model within chat.
Combine local and cloud AI selectively
Keep routine questions, personal files and confidential work on the Mac while retaining a cloud assistant for tasks that require the largest models, extensive reasoning or research across many sources.
Pros and Cons
Pros
- Processes chats, files, voice and memory locally, supporting offline use and reducing the need to send sensitive material to a cloud service.
- Combines chat with document search, PDF editing, voice, selected Mac app actions and coding support in one Mac application.
- Chooses models based on the Mac’s available memory and supports additional GGUF models from Hugging Face.
- Uses a one-time licence with no subscription, includes future updates, and supports up to three Macs at a time.
Cons
- Requires an Apple silicon Mac running macOS 26 or newer; available memory affects model size and performance.
- The largest cloud models remain ahead for some demanding reasoning, very large-document and multi-source research tasks.
- Network access is still needed for web search, model downloads, update checks and enabled connectors.
FAQ
Which Macs does Gerty support?
Gerty runs on Macs with Apple silicon (M1 or later) using macOS 26 or newer. More memory allows it to run larger models.
Does Gerty work offline?
Yes. After a model is downloaded, chat, file work, voice, memory and supported Mac app access work without internet. Web search, model downloads, update checks and enabled connectors use the network.
Does Gerty require an account or subscription?
No. Gerty does not require an account or subscription. The licence costs CHF 49 once, includes future updates, and can be used on up to three Macs at a time. A seven-day trial and 14-day refund are available.
Can Gerty replace a cloud AI assistant?
Gerty handles everyday writing, summaries, questions, translations, coding help and work with personal files locally. The largest cloud models remain stronger for the hardest reasoning tasks, very large documents in one go and research across many sources.
Which AI models can Gerty use?
Gerty selects open-weight models that fit the Mac and can also install any GGUF model from Hugging Face. It supports models such as Gemma, Qwen, Llama and Mistral.
Quick Facts
- Category
- Local AI assistant
- Platform
- Mac with Apple silicon (M1 or later)
- Operating system
- macOS 26 or newer
- Offline use
- Chat, files, voice, memory and supported Mac app access after model download
- Licence
- CHF 49 once; no subscription; up to 3 Macs at a time
- Trial
- 7 days free; 14-day refund