A few years ago, AI was not a buzzword thrown freely around in the general day-to-day as it is now. To say we have entered in an explosive era of AI that has seemingly penetrated most aspects of society. Without commenting on the societal implications of this, one has to stop and think, what exactly IS AI?
For those in the field, it is a more streamlined answer, perhaps one that has a more technical definition literal to the question. However, for the majority who are not involved with AI in a professional way, the experience may be more closely associated with something like asking a general question to ChatGPT, or using an AI tool that has found its way into one's favorite social media app.
The previous mentions of AI are not meant to pose it in a negative light, rather to highlight something that may be a lingering question for many, how can I get hands on experience with AI?
To answer this, I mention the world of Local AI, or, as referred to on one of the (many) popular forums about the topic, the r/localllama subreddit. The vast amount of casual AI users may not realize that it is actually quite simple to, late in the year 2025, set up a local AI system at your home that can not only function as a small, offline micro version of a model like chatgpt, but also perform many other impressive AI driven tasks. Things like automated object detection with a home security system, a way to ask questions about sensitive documents without needing to send them to a third party, or even, in some cases, a self-contained voice-enabled chatbot experience.
While the overall consensus on the rapid rise in the popularity of AI is still out for judgement, the truth is, there has never been a better time to be interested in local AI.
The next logical question one may have when reading this, is likely something along the lines of: "Okay, how do I get started with this Local AI".
The answer is quite simple. The NVIDIA Jetson Orin Nano Super. While it's name may contain more words than one would expect from a relatively approachable and low cost device, the Jetson nano (as we will from now on refer to it as in the scope of this writing), was released about a year ago, and touted as a $250 AI supercomputer.
A year later, the Jetson is still one of, if not the best value propositions for an all in one, AI focused device that allows for a lot of customizability, education, and hands on AI experience. It is my honest, independent opinion, that for the price point, as of this writing in late 2025, there is no better single device for experimenting with Local AI than the Jetson nano.
I have had about 11 months experience with the Jetson nano, and while the initial setup can be somewhat intimidating to completely new and non-technical users, the sheer amount of possibility that exists in what the device is capable of makes its price point an absolute no brainer for anyone looking to dive in to local AI.
From AI Image generation, to an AI powered home security system that can autonomously identify objects in the stream and send an automated alert, the amount of potential use cases for the Jetson encompass a wide array of the DIY and creative spectrum. Many products have been based off the Jetson and purposed into whichever niche that seek to fill, from smart home solutions to local AI powered agents with N8N.
Being a versatile device, the Jetson also offers a lot of expandability, which leads to a growing number of physical accessories to aid in whichever creative endeavor one seeks to use the Jetson for. From a stylish case like the Roboco Panini (shown below), to a full 40 pin GPIO header allowing for a multitude of electronic gadgets to be plugged into it, to CSI camera ports for attaching cameras, the Jetson has a large amount of aftermarket support in both physical, and digital realms.
One accessory in particular worth highlighting is the Roboco Panini case. For beginners who may find the bare Jetson board intimidating—as it can look more like a development tool than something approachable—the Panini transforms the device into something resembling a mini PC. This compact, stylish enclosure makes the Jetson feel less like a piece of raw hardware and more like a finished product, which can be a huge confidence boost for those just starting their local AI journey. It's a simple addition that makes the whole setup feel more user-friendly and less technical, and it even has a small screen to show system stats!
In my own setup, I've used the Jetson nano for real-time object detection. The system can identify people, vehicles, and animals in a camera feed and even send automated alerts when something specific is detected. The ability to have this all happen locally—without sending footage to a cloud service—is both practical and reassuring.
If you are someone who has finally decided to dive into the rapidly growing world of AI, there is no better device to do so than with the Jetson nano. If you're a complete beginner, don't be intimidated, there are many guides to help you get the device set up, such as my complete set up guide.
Seeing it work in the real world, handling tasks autonomously, has been one of the most rewarding parts of the experience. This is what local AI can look like in practice—not just a concept, but a tangible tool working for you every day.