Apple is developing a Mac app called Harbor that is intended to make running AI models locally much easier. Rather than sending prompts and data to cloud services, Harbor would let users run open-weight models on Apple silicon Macs, keeping their information on their own hardware. The app reflects a growing role for Macs such as the Mac mini and Mac Studio as machines for local AI, alongside their more familiar desktop and laptop uses.
Harbor’s main feature is the ability to connect two or more Thunderbolt 5-capable Macs and pool their unified memory, creating a larger inference resource. This could let users run models too large for one computer or handle more simultaneous requests. The app is described as automatically detecting connected devices and forming a cluster, avoiding manual setup and command-line tools. It would also provide a built-in way to browse, download, and load models. Harbor is currently in a private preview under Apple’s Claris brand; its public availability has not been announced.
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