sōtem compared
sōtem, a personal AI agent and a chat assistant, side by side
Three kinds of AI help, compared on what matters when real work and real customers are involved. The sōtem column says only what works today, and marks what is still in development.
The other two columns describe how each kind of tool usually works, not any one product. Products differ, so check the one you use.
| Question | sōtem | A personal AI agent on your laptop | A classic chat assistant |
|---|---|---|---|
| Where your data lives |
| Usually in files on the computer it runs on, plus whatever you send to the AI model provider you connect it to. | On the provider's servers, in the regions the provider chooses. |
| Who approves actions before anything is sent |
| Depends on how you set it up. Once given access, it can often act on your files, mail and accounts directly. | It writes the text and you send it yourself. Some can act through add-ons. |
| Whether facts are checked against your records |
| Depends on the model and your setup. There is usually no separate check. | Answers come from the model. Your own records are only used if you paste or connect them. |
| Team workspace |
| Built for one person on one computer. | Mostly one person's chats. Some plans let a team share chats. |
| Agents that keep running when your computer is off |
| Only while that computer is on and awake, unless you host it on a server yourself. | Mostly answers when you ask. Some offer simple scheduled tasks. |
| Integrations |
| Whatever plugins or scripts you install, running with your own passwords and keys on that computer. | The add-ons and connectors the provider offers. |
| Memory |
| Notes kept in files on that computer, for one person. | A memory of past chats, kept by the provider for one person. |
| Price model |
| The software is often free. You pay the AI model provider for each request, and run your own computer. | A monthly subscription per person, usually with a free tier. |
Why it is built this way
Business work needs a shared place and a person who says yes
A tool on one laptop is good for one person's errands. A business needs its records in one place the whole team can see, and agents that keep working at night.
So sōtem keeps your workspace on the server, checks its figures against your records, and asks before it acts on anything that matters.