Frequently Asked Questions

Below are answers to the most commonly asked questions about Octaven. If you don't find what you're looking for, feel free to visit our Help Center or contact our support team directly.

What is Octaven?

Octaven is a dedicated edge AI agent hardware device that runs artificial intelligence entirely locally on-device — no cloud, no subscriptions, and no data leaving your home. Powered by a custom-designed SoC with a built-in neural engine, Octaven can run multiple AI agents simultaneously, control your smart home devices, respond to voice and touch commands, and process natural language all without an internet connection. It's designed to be the private, fast, and always-available AI brain for your home or workspace.

When will Octaven ship?

Octaven starts shipping on August 30, 2026. This is the date we begin dispatching orders, not the date customers will receive their devices. Preorders are fulfilled in order, and each customer will receive a tracking email when their device leaves our facility. The actual delivery date will depend on the dispatch date, destination, carrier, customs, and transit time.

What's the difference between Mini, Studio, and Pro?

The three Octaven models are designed for different use cases and performance needs. The Octaven Mini is a compact, affordable entry point that handles everyday AI tasks like voice assistance, basic smart home control, and light productivity agents. The Octaven Studio offers significantly more processing power with additional RAM and storage, making it ideal for running larger models, multi-agent workflows, and serving as the central hub for a more complex smart home. The Octaven Pro is our flagship model with the highest-performance SoC, maximum RAM and storage, a built-in display with multi-touch console, and support for the most demanding AI workloads including local code generation and advanced multi-modal agents.

Does Octaven require an internet connection?

No. Octaven is designed to operate fully independently without an internet connection. All AI inference, agent execution, and smart home processing happens locally on the device. An internet connection is only needed for downloading software updates, acquiring new AI models from the on-device model store, and initial device setup. Once configured, Octaven continues to function completely offline, which means your data never leaves your device and there are no subscriptions to maintain. This is core to our philosophy: your AI, your data, your control.

How does the hardware privacy switch work?

Octaven features a physical hardware privacy switch on the device that, when toggled, immediately disconnects the microphones and camera at the hardware level. This is not a software setting that could potentially be circumvented — it physically cuts power to the input components, ensuring that no audio or visual data can be captured while the switch is in the off position. An LED indicator next to the switch provides clear visual confirmation of the current privacy state. This hardware-first approach to privacy means you can have complete confidence that your Octaven is not listening or watching when you don't want it to, regardless of any software state.

What smart home protocols does Octaven support?

Octaven natively supports Matter and Thread, the modern open standards for smart home interoperability. This means Octaven works seamlessly with devices from hundreds of manufacturers right out of the box. In addition, Octaven offers native integration with Apple HomeKit, Google Home, and Amazon Alexa, allowing it to act as a bridge and controller across all three major ecosystems simultaneously. Because all smart home processing happens locally on Octaven, your home automation routines, device commands, and sensor data never pass through any external cloud service.

How loud is Octaven under load?

Octaven is engineered with an advanced thermal management system that includes a custom low-noise fan and intelligent fan curves. During typical AI workloads — running agents, processing voice commands, or managing smart home routines — Octaven operates at noise levels comparable to a quiet laptop, generally around 25–30 dB. Under sustained heavy inference loads, such as running large models or processing multi-modal tasks, the fan may increase speed, reaching approximately 35–40 dB, which is still quieter than most desktop computers. The fan is designed to ramp up and down gradually to avoid sudden noise changes, and Octaven can also operate in a silent mode for lighter workloads where fan noise is a concern.

Can I use my own AI models on Octaven?

Yes. Octaven supports loading custom AI models through Developer Mode. Once enabled, you can sideload models in popular open formats, connect via SSH for advanced configuration, and use the Octaven SDK to build and deploy your own agents. The on-device model store also offers a curated selection of community-contributed and officially supported models that you can download and install with a single tap. Whether you want to run a fine-tuned language model, a specialized vision model, or something entirely custom, Octaven gives you the flexibility to make the device truly yours — all while keeping everything local and private.

What is the Octaven App?

The Octaven App is a free companion application available for both iOS and Android that serves as the primary interface for setting up and managing your Octaven device. Through the app, you can complete the initial device setup, configure Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, download and manage AI models, create and customize agents, set up smart home integrations, and monitor device performance in real time. The app communicates with your Octaven over your local network, so no personal data is sent to the cloud. It also provides access to the model store, release notes, and support resources.

What is the return and warranty policy?

Octaven comes with a two-year limited hardware warranty that covers manufacturing defects and hardware failures. We also offer a thirty (30) day return window from the date of delivery — if you're not completely satisfied with your Octaven, you can return it in its original packaging for a full refund. For full details on what is and isn't covered, how to initiate a return, and the warranty claims process, please visit our Returns & Refunds and Warranty pages.