Run VLM Locally on Intel CPUs: 3 Simple Steps

AI Impact Summary

This guide details deploying a Vision Language Model (VLM) locally on Intel CPUs using Optimum, OpenVINO, and a small model like SmolVLM2-256M-Video-Instruct. The process involves converting the model to OpenVINO IR, applying weight-only or static quantization to optimize for memory and speed, and then running inference. This approach enables VLM functionality without requiring expensive GPUs, making it accessible for developers with standard Intel hardware.