Another Face of Apple Intelligent — Apple Foundation Models with apfel-chat

Bypassing the face-hugger (Siri)

We found another interesting project while testing out apfel/apfel-gui

Source: https://github.com/Arthur-Ficial/apfel-chat

This tool is meant for users who just want a local substitute to their daily cloud AI needs, cheap and secure.

Preparations for Apple Intelligence

If Mac is yet install with the necessary tools:

1. Getting MacOS ready (Apple Intelligence setup)

• Make sure Mac is up to date with latest macOS Tahoe 26.4 and above

• Apple Intelligence option will only appear if both the AI & Siri language is set as System Language & Region primary one

• Install Xcode from App Store. Only macOS version component is required.

2. HomeBrew installation

Open terminal then enter:

/bin/bash -c “$(curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/Homebrew/install/HEAD/install.sh)"

Follow instructions displayed in terminal to complete configurations

echo >> /Users/<user>/.zprofile

echo ‘eval “$(/opt/homebrew/bin/brew shellenv zsh)”’ >> /Users/<user>/.zprofile

eval “$(/opt/homebrew/bin/b-rew shellenv zsh)”

Installation of Apfel-Chat

Assuming all Apple prerequisites are already in place from previous installation of apfel/apfel-gui, copy from source page then past into terminal and hit enter:

Paste and enter in terminal:

brew install Arthur-Ficial/tap/apfel-chat

# Update later

brew upgrade apfel-chat

Watch it run:

==> Auto-updating Homebrew…

Adjust how often this is run with $HOMEBREW_AUTO_UPDATE_SECS or disable with

$HOMEBREW_NO_AUTO_UPDATE=1. Hide these hints with $HOMEBREW_NO_ENV_HINTS=1 (see man brew).

==> Homebrew collects anonymous analytics.

Read the analytics documentation (and how to opt-out) here:

***https://docs.brew.sh/Analytics***

No analytics have been recorded yet (nor will be during this brew run).

==> Homebrew is run entirely by unpaid volunteers. Please consider donating:

*https://github.com/Homebrew/brew#donations*

==> Trusted cask arthur-ficial/tap/apfel-chat

==> Would install 1 cask:

arthur-ficial/tap/apfel-chat

==> Fetching downloads for: arthur-ficial/tap/apfel-chat

✔︎ Cask apfel-chat (1.1.11) Verified 11.3MB/ 11.3MB

==> Installing Cask apfel-chat

==> Moving App ‘apfel-chat.app’ to ‘/Applications/apfel-chat.app’

==> Linking Binary ‘apfel-chat’ to ‘/opt/homebrew/bin/apfel-chat’

🍺 apfel-chat was successfully installed!

zsh: command not found: #

Warning: Not upgrading apfel-chat, the latest version is already installed

Warning: Not upgrading apfel-chat, the latest version is already installed

As the grind comes to halt, press Command + Spacebar to call up Spotlight, key in apfel-chat then press enter as app’s name appears:

Here you go! Start chatting:

Usual suspects:

Al the familiar options as one would using cloud AI …

Settings:

Click Setting (gear) icon:

Turn on Permissive mode:

Conclusion

Running Apple’s foundation models locally is a manifesto for the future of computing. It is “private and secure” by design; your data never leaves the silicon, your productivity isn’t tethered to a Wi-Fi signal, and you aren’t paying a monthly subscription to access your own computer’s potential.

The barrier to entry for the next generation of “Apple Intelligence” is significantly lower than we were led to believe.