Edge AI vs. Cloud AI

What is Edge AI? Edge AI (also: “on-device AI”, “local AI”) brings artificial intelligence to applications at the network’s edge, such as mobile devices, IoT, and other embedded systems like, e.g., interactive kiosks. Edge AI combines AI with Edge Computing, a decentralized paradigm designed to bring computing as close as possible to where data is generated and utilized.

What is Cloud AI? As opposed to this, cloud AI refers to an architecture where applications rely on data and AI models hosted on distant cloud infrastructure. The cloud offers extensive storage and processing power.

An Edge for Edge AI: The Cloud 

Example: Edge-Cloud AI setup with a secure, two-way Data Sync architecture

Today, there is a broad spectrum of application architectures combining Edge Computing and Cloud Computing, and the same applies to AI. For example, “Apple Intelligence” performs many AI tasks directly on the phone (on-device AI) while sending more complex requests to a private, secure cloud. This approach combines the best of both worlds – with the cloud giving an edge to the local AI rather than the other way around. Let’s have a look at the advantages on-device AI brings to the table.

Benefits of Local AI on the Edge

• Enhanced Privacy. Local data processing reduces the risk of breaches.
• Faster Response Rates. Processing data locally cuts down travel time for data, speeding up responses.
• Increased Availability. On-device processing makes apps fully offline-capable. Operations can continue smoothly during internet or data center disruptions.
• Sustainability/costs. Keeping data where it is produced and used minimizes data transfers, cutting networking costs and reducing energy consumption—and with it, CO2 emissions.

Challenges of Local AI on the Edge

• Data Storage and Processing: Local AI requires an on-device database that runs on a wide variety of edge devices (Mobile,IoT, Embedded) and performs complex tasks such as vector search locally on the device with minimal resource consumption.
• Data Sync: It’s vital to keep data consistent across devices, necessitating robust bi-directional Data Sync solutions. Implementing such a solution oneself requires specialized tech talent, is non-trivial and time-consuming, and will be an ongoing maintenance factor. 
• Small Language Models: Small Language Models (SLMs) like Phi-2 (Microsoft Research), TinyStories (HuggingFace), and Mini-Giants (arXiv) are efficient and resource-friendly but often need enhancement with local vector databases for better response accuracy. An on-device vector database allows on-device semantic search with private, contextual information, reducing latency while enabling faster and more relevant outputs. For complex queries requiring larger models, a database that works both on-device and in the cloud (or a large on-premise server) is perfect for scalability and flexibility in on-device AI applications.

On-device AI Use Cases

On-device AI is revolutionizing numerous sectors by enabling real-time data processing wherever and whenever it’s needed. It enhances security systems, improves customer experiences in retail, supports predictive maintenance in industrial environments, and facilitates immediate medical diagnostics. On-device AI is essential for personalizing in-car experiences, delivering reliable remote medical care, and powering personal AI assistants on mobile devices—always keeping user privacy intact.

Personalized In-Car Experience: Features like climate control, lighting, and entertainment can be adjusted dynamically in vehicles based on real-time inputs and user habits, improving comfort and satisfaction. Recent studies, such as one by MHP, emphasize the increasing consumer demand for these AI-enabled features. This demand is driven by a desire for smarter, more responsive vehicle technology.

Remote Care: In healthcare, on-device AI enables on-device data processing that’s crucial for swift diagnostics and treatment. This secure, offline-capable technology aligns with health regulations like HIPAA and boosts emergency response speeds and patient care quality.

Personal AI Assistants: Today’s personal AI assistants often depend on the cloud, raising privacy issues. However, some companies, including Apple, are shifting towards on-device processing for basic tasks and secure, anonymized cloud processing for more complex functions, enhancing user privacy.

ObjectBox for On-Device AI – an edge for everyone

The continuum from Edge to Cloud

ObjectBox supports AI applications from Edge to cloud. It stands out as the first on-device vector database, enabling powerful Edge AI on mobile, IoT, and other embedded devices with minimal hardware needs. It works offline and supports efficient, private AI applications with a seamless bi-directional Data Sync solution, completely on-premise, and optional integration with MongoDB for enhanced backend features and cloud AI.

Interested in extending your AI to the edge? Let’s connect to explore how we can transform your applications.