skalesapp/skales

Personal AI agent harness for macOS, Windows, Linux, Android & iOS. New: Skales Scout, lasting AI agents that keep working on your desk, each optionally in its own virtual machine. Chat, coding (Skales Code), Flow, automations, computer use, browser, voice, MCP, local LLMs (Ollama). BYOK, 26 providers. No Docker, no terminal.

What it is: Skales is a desktop AI agent (for Windows, macOS, Linux, and mobile) that installs like a normal app and runs on your own computer — not in a cloud. It's a private, local-first AI that can access your files, browser, calendar, and email, and it performs multi-step tasks on its own. It's aimed at non-developers and even claims a 6-year-old built a game with it.

Key capabilities:

  • Goal mode: Hand it a goal, close the lid, and it runs in the background, plans steps, executes, and picks up where it left off.
  • Code mode: Bind a folder, let it edit files with inline diffs and one-click undo; commit and push with your own git identity.
  • Studio & Flow: Design slide decks, interactive prototypes, wireframes, 3D scenes, images, videos, and motion graphics — all from natural-language prompts, with live previews.
  • Multimodal chat: Voice in and out, HTML rendering, diagrams (Mermaid), math typesetting, and card-based recommendations.
  • Privacy controls: Local-first, with a free built-in trial (Skales IQ) that needs no API key — or bring your own from 15+ providers, or run fully offline with Ollama.
  • Integrations: Chrome side panel, Microsoft Office task panes, pairing with your phone via QR, and a built-in migration importer from other agents.

How it works: The README describes Skales as a single application with an agent core. It supports multiple models (your own or built-in), runs tasks in the background, uses a "New Architecture" that's low on memory (~300MB RAM), and features a skill system (https://docs.skales.app/skills) and MCP server integration (https://docs.skales.app/mcp).

Architecture & updates: Skales is proprietary — the repo is used for distribution (releases, changelog, issues). The README explicitly states the shipped app is signed, auto-updating, and has a one-click installer. A previous open-source snapshot was removed because it didn't match the product.

Who it's for: Non-technical users who want an AI agent that works like a personal assistant — not a developer tool. It's designed to be approachable ("from 6 to 60+") and to help with real work: building apps, creating presentations, editing videos, managing tasks.

Notable notes:

  • The README uses the tagline “The private AI that lives on your computer and does real work, not just chat.”
  • It's free for private use and study; commercial use requires a licence.
  • It supports swarm commands (send a job to another paired computer) and a Pocket mode for quick voice/wearable interactions.
  • It has a built-in cost monitor that shows live token spending and lets you set spending ceilings.

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