Boot your compatible PC into local AI from your own USB. Chat, work with documents, and save selected work in an encrypted vault on the USB. The software download includes Ministral 3B; larger models are optional.
Modern AI is built behind glass walls: metered by cloud APIs, shaped by corporate refusal wrappers, and mined for telemetry on centralized servers.
The Heretic Key cuts the tether.
Engineered for researchers, developers, and privacy-conscious operators who demand computational autonomy, The Heretic Key boots any compatible x86 system into an isolated runtime. Model weights stream directly from read-only key storage into host RAM, bypassing the host operating system entirely.
Start with the included Ministral 3B chat model. Use compatible GGUF files you already own, or add compatible Llama, Gemma and matching vision files separately.
Network interfaces remain suppressed at boot by default. No remote pings, no telemetry packets, no background phone-home.
Your host drive is never mounted. Temporary sessions, logs, and browser scratchpads live exclusively within a volatile /dev/shm RAM environment that dissolves at shutdown.
Core model and system assets remain strictly read-only at runtime, with an optional LUKS2-encrypted vault available whenever you choose to save local notes or model outputs.
Dynamic runtime dispatch auto-negotiates NVIDIA CUDA, Vulkan GPU acceleration, or optimized multi-threaded CPU fallback.
Local text chat and document tools are included. Image processing requires a supported model and its matching vision projector; these are optional downloads.
One-time purchase. Local use needs no account, subscription or activation check.
Coming soon. Shipping regions, delivery times and final drive specification will be listed before orders open.
After Stripe confirms payment, your private receipt page provides the software download with Ministral 3B. Downloads support resume. Save the receipt link to renew download links later.
Extract the package, read the boot guide, and preview the install plan before flashing. The flasher checks file integrity and the space needed for your selected models and vault. A 32 GB USB fits the default Ministral setup; larger model collections may need more space.
Compatibility: Linux is required for the current flasher. The booted system runs on a compatible x86-64 PC. Disable Secure Boot for this candidate. CPU chat has been tested in a UEFI virtual machine; physical hardware, GPU and Bluetooth compatibility testing is still in progress. There is no published tested-laptop list yet.
Personal purchase: one person, their own drives and their own computers. Reflashes and spare keys are included. Updates for this major version are included, with no yearly update fee. A future major version may be sold separately; the installed version continues to work offline. Model licenses and open-source component licenses continue to apply.
Current status: 4.2.1-rc1 is a release candidate. Sales open after release validation and the bundled license notices are complete. Need help deciding whether your hardware is suitable? Email scott@archpanda.xyz before purchasing.