Does my work leave my Mac?
Not with a local model. When you pick a cloud model, that conversation goes to the provider of the model you picked, and only then.
Compare
See how Mariwave compares.
Chat assistants process your files on their own servers. Local AI tools expect a developer at the keyboard, and several run AI with the same access you have. Mariwave is one Mac app with the newest models, on your Mac or in the cloud, and each conversation runs sealed off from your Mac.
| Alternative | Examples | What it does best | What you give up | Where Mariwave fits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Frontier chat assistants | Claude Cowork, ChatGPT desktop and Codex | One lab’s strongest models, right away | Your files go to their service | The same frontier models, plus models on the Mac, sealed |
| Local model runners | Ollama, LM Studio, Msty, Jan | Running models on your own machine | A developer’s setup. Ollama has no sign-in of its own, and about 175,000 Ollama servers were found open to the internet | Models on your Mac with the setup done, and AI tasks in a sealed space |
| Developer containers | OrbStack, Podman | Containers and Linux machines on a Mac | The command line, and they share your Mac files by default | The sandbox is built in, with nothing to configure |
| Coding-agent sandboxes | Docker Sandboxes, Apple container | A strong wall around each coding agent | A command-line tool for coding agents, with no app for everyday work | The same kind of wall, in one Mac app with every major model |
| Team agent workspaces | Buzz | People, agents and a project in one place | Its AI runs commands on your computer with your permissions, with no sandbox | AI tasks run in a sealed space that holds only the project you add |
Questions
Questions people ask.
Can the AI reach the rest of my Mac?
No. It works inside a separate virtual machine that holds only the files you add. It cannot open your other files, read your passwords or reach your office network.
Which models can I use?
On your Mac, open models for text, image understanding, image generation and speech, each downloaded from a pinned, checked source. In the cloud, the newest models from the major labs through your own marketplace account.
Does it work offline?
Local models work without an internet connection once they are downloaded. Cloud models need a connection.
Does Mariwave train AI on my files?
No. Mariwave trains no models. It runs them, on your Mac or at the cloud provider you pick.
What does Mariwave collect?
The app ships no analytics or tracking code. Your provider keys stay in your Mac’s Keychain and are never sent to Mariwave.