Offline AI for classrooms and teachers
Teachers need AI help without sending student data to the cloud. PortableMind runs locally from a USB so lesson plans and feedback stay on school devices.
Local drafting for lesson plans and feedback.
No accounts or student data leaving the device.
Works on Windows and macOS school laptops.
Who this is for / not for
For teachers and school IT who need offline AI. Not for districts that already mandate cloud AI platforms and disallow external drives.
- Great for lesson planning, rubrics, and feedback drafts.
- Skip if policy bans removable media entirely.
Specs that actually matter
8–16 GB RAM school laptops with USB 3.0 work. GPU optional. Disk encryption recommended.
- Use the fast preset on older Chromebooks with dual-boot or school laptops.
- Keep 4–6 GB free for files.
- Stay plugged in when running longer prompts.
Classroom-safe workflow
Run PortableMind in airplane mode, draft lesson plans and feedback, and save outputs to the USB. Share only approved summaries with students.
- Store templates for rubrics and parent emails on the USB.
- Keep student names out of prompts when possible.
- Sync to school systems manually after review.
Common pitfalls
Leaving drafts in synced folders. Updating during class. Letting students use the drive unsupervised.
- Pause sync tools during sensitive drafts.
- Update after hours on stable Wi-Fi.
- Keep custody of the USB with staff only.
PortableMind vs DIY
DIY setups may need admin rights and downloads that school IT blocks. PortableMind runs from the USB with no installs.
- No accounts or API keys required.
- Consistent experience across school devices.
Keep it compliant
Document offline proof for administrators, encrypt the USB if storing student info, and back up lesson templates regularly.
- Share /offline-ai-usb with IT for approval.
- Label the drive and store it securely.
- Clear cache and downloads after sessions on shared carts.
Quick cross-links
Hop to related guidance while you keep this page open.
FAQ
Is student data uploaded?
No. Everything stays on the device; you can run in airplane mode.
Do we need accounts?
No accounts or API keys are required.
Can students use it?
Keep staff-only custody. Use outputs to inform lessons, not as student accounts.
Will it work on older laptops?
Yes, use the fast preset on 8 GB machines.
Related guides
Air-gapped AI USB best practices
How to use an offline AI USB in sensitive environments: updates, model sourcing, and safe handling without the cloud.
Battery-optimized offline AI on laptops
Run offline AI without draining your battery. PortableMind includes presets and tips to keep power use low while staying offline.
Best offline AI models for Mac: what runs well on MacBooks
Model guidance for macOS: what runs well on MacBooks and how to stay stable without cloud dependencies.