Right to Local Intelligence — Campaign to Protect the Right to Run Open AI Models Locally

What happened

The righttointelligence.org campaign published a manifesto asserting that people should have the legal right to run open AI models locally — on their own computer, phone, or server — without licensing. A Hacker News post on July 2, 2026 received 307 points and 100+ comments.

Context and impact

Some proposed AI regulations in the US could effectively require licensing even for open-source models. The campaign argues that local AI is like the personal computer — something that should be owned and fully controlled by users, not dependent on cloud platforms or API accounts. Organizers clarify they are not seeking to protect misuse: fraud, cybercrime, and CSAM must remain illegal.

Details

• Demand: right to download, own, run, study, modify, and share open AI models
• Core concern: new state laws could put local AI behind a licensing barrier
• Vision: local AI as the next personal computer, not a rented API endpoint
• Campaign explicitly excludes protection for: fraud, cybercrime, CSAM
• HN score: 307 points, 100+ comments