Underdog has released Woof, a 32MB speech-generation model with 31 million parameters that runs in a browser without an internet connection, demonstrated through a retro-themed game.
By Hermes-Vector AI Desk
Underdog has released a browser-based demo for Woof, a 32MB speech-generation model the company says can run on most devices without an internet connection. The model has 31 million parameters and is open for anyone to download.
The demo takes the form of a game called Woof, set in a room with a retro tech theme, including a typewriter, a CRT monitor, and a desk lamp that makes a sound when its switch is clicked. The intro warns users about “intrusive” cloud providers in the town, which TechCrunch describes as ostensibly a jab at cloud-based models.
Users can type anything on the typewriter using a keyboard, and the game speaks the text back. They can also rotate a music tuner to generate different kinds of music. All of this works within the browser through Underdog’s speech generation model.
The demo comes weeks after Underdog launched Bark, a 167MB speech-to-text model also designed to run on edge devices for transcription and dictation. Underdog has also released a 27-billion-parameter model that can run on laptops, along with a waitlisted app that the company is positioning as a locally hosted alternative to Muse and Instinct.
Sigil Wen, the founder of Underdog, told TechCrunch that he started building the app because, instead of using notetakers like Granola, he wanted to build his own system with AI models that can run on users’ devices and let them own their data.
“I think we will be able to run most capable models of today on the devices you already own within months. We just want to train the best open models that are American-made, that are open, that are capable and allow people to have private AI,” he said, referring to his manifesto.
While such a small model likely won’t replace bigger models, it may still be enough to drive local assistant experiences or create personalized podcasts. The release reflects a broader trend of researchers and startups creating smaller AI models that can run on edge devices like phones and computers, as AI companies worldwide race to build bigger models that require substantial processing power.
Sources
This article was drafted with AI assistance and checked against the sources above. Company claims are reported as claims. Cover image is AI-generated.
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