Edge HATs Democratize LLMs

Cheap, plug‑in accelerator modules with onboard RAM and modern NPUs (e.g., 8GB + 40 TOPS HATs) let inexpensive single‑board computers run and adapt small generative models locally, enabling offline inference, on‑device personalization, and low‑cost fine‑tuning outside data‑center control. That diffusion will shift where AI capability lives (from hyperscalers to homes, classrooms, small firms), change privacy trade‑offs, and create new hardware and software supply‑chain dependencies. — If edge HATs scale, policymakers must address decentralized AI governance (privacy, export controls, energy and chip supply), and labor/education planning as generative capability spreads beyond large firms.