Developer builds zero-cost WhatsApp AI bot running locally on Windows PC

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A developer has shared how they built a WhatsApp AI chatbot that runs entirely on a personal Windows 10/11 PC without any cloud hosting or paid AI API subscriptions. The bot uses Node.js alongside the whatsapp-web.js library to handle incoming and outgoing WhatsApp messages, while an locally installed tool called Ollama powers AI responses by running a language model directly on the machine. Authentication is handled via a one-time QR code scan, similar to WhatsApp Web, with session data stored locally to avoid repeated logins. The developer notes the 'zero cost' claim applies only to additional software and hosting expenses, as it assumes the user already owns a PC, pays for internet, and covers electricity. The setup is designed to run continuously on an always-on home computer, with options to auto-restart the bot after crashes or system reboots.

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