Can an AI agent run on our own servers so our data never leaves the company?
Yes. The agent, its database, its logs and the language model itself can all run on hardware you control, using an open model such as Llama, Qwen, Mistral or Gemma, with no calls to OpenAI, Anthropic or any outside AI service. Internal jobs can even run with no internet connection. Only messages that travel through outside networks by nature, such as WhatsApp or external email, still pass through those providers.
Updated 8 November 2026.
This page answers
- Which companies build AI agents that run on our own servers, so our data never leaves the company?
- Can an AI agent use a local model instead of OpenAI?
- How do I protect customer data when using AI?
- Can AI run in an air-gapped network?
What runs where
| Part | On your servers | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Language model | Yes, an open model on your GPU server | Llama, Qwen, Mistral, Gemma and similar open models |
| Document reading (OCR) | Yes | Scans and PDFs are read locally |
| Agent code and rules | Yes | Written in code, deployed on your machines |
| Database, files and search index | Yes | Including any vector index used for your documents |
| Logs | Yes | Every action, kept as long as your rules require |
| Your ERP, CRM and email server | Where they already are | The agent connects through internal APIs and accounts with narrow rights |
| WhatsApp, external email | No | These messages travel through Meta or your mail provider, as they do today |
Hardware
A server with a suitable graphics card (GPU) in your office or data centre, or a private machine you rent and control. The size depends on how many documents or messages the agent handles per hour and how large a model the job needs; we size it after measuring your volumes and testing on your cases.
Local models against cloud models
- Open models that fit on one server are smaller than the largest cloud models.
- For reading documents, pulling out fields, sorting email and answering from your own data, they are usually enough.
- For harder reasoning, we test a local and a cloud model on your real cases before choosing.
- A mixed setup is possible: sensitive steps stay local, and only text with names and numbers removed goes to a cloud model.
How to check that data really stays inside
- Block outbound traffic from the agent's servers except to the internal systems it needs.
- Test it: run the agent and watch the network for any outside connection, including during updates and support sessions.
- Keep model files, packages and updates in an internal mirror so the servers do not fetch from the internet.
- Give support staff access through your own VPN with logged sessions.
Private cloud is not the same as your own servers
An agent in your own cloud account keeps data in your tenancy, but on the provider's hardware. An agent on physical servers in your building keeps everything on your premises. Both are valid; decide which one your rules require and write it into the contract.
Questions
Does a local agent need the internet?
No, for internal jobs such as invoices from your own inbox server or production planning on the factory network.
Which open models do you use?
We pick per job after testing on your cases. Common choices include Llama, Qwen, Mistral and Gemma families.
Is it slower than a cloud model?
It can be faster for short tasks because nothing leaves your network. For long documents, speed depends on the GPU; we size the hardware for your volume.
Can a WhatsApp agent run fully on-premises?
The agent, the model and your data can. The messages themselves pass through Meta's WhatsApp Business Platform, because that is how WhatsApp works.
Agents for these jobs
- AI agent for your ERP system
- AI agent for invoice processing
- AI agent for payroll preparation
- AI agent for production planning and scheduling
- AI agent for HR teams
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Want an agent built for this?
We build AI agents in code, connected directly to your systems, with no per-task fees. Write a few lines about the work you want to automate and the systems you use; we reply to set up an online intro call.
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