Anyone working with artificial intelligence today often first thinks of ChatGPT or similar online services. You type in a question, wait a few seconds - and receive an answer as if a very well-read, patient conversation partner were sitting at the other end of the line. But what is easily forgotten: Every input, every sentence, every word travels via the Internet to external servers. That's where the real work is done - on huge computers that you never get to see yourself.
In principle, a local language model works in exactly the same way - but without the Internet. The model is stored as a file on the user's own computer, is loaded into the working memory at startup and answers questions directly on the device. The technology behind it is the same: a neural network that understands language, generates texts and recognizes patterns. The only difference is that the entire calculation remains in-house. You could say: ChatGPT without the cloud.
The fact that the computer museum, which is unique in this form in Germany, is located in Oldenburg of all places is of course a very fortunate coincidence. Even better is the current special exhibition "35 Years of Apple Computers", which the OCM (Oldenburg Computer Museum) is presenting from May 12 to June 30, 2011. On display are many original Apple computers from the Apple I clone to the Apple Lisa, Macintosh Portable, Newton Message Pad and the current Apple iPad. All of the exhibited devices are fully functional and can be used by visitors and thus experienced at first hand. The Oldenburg Computer Museum has a total of over 700 exhibits in its collection and usually displays around 50 exhibits and around 20 operational systems. From the ZX81 to the Atari ST to current systems, the Oldenburg Computer Museum has something for every visitor - at no cost... 🙂