The original BU1ST Sovereign AI manifesto

Sovereign AI – The BU1ST Framework for Human-Directed Intelligence

This paper sets out the philosophy and architecture behind BU1ST: AI that runs on your hardware, follows your rules and exists to lift human work — never replace it.

Author: Joshua Buist Length: ~25–30 minute read Focus: Offline-first, worker-first AI

What this paper covers

The Sovereign AI paper defines a different path for artificial intelligence: instead of centralised cloud systems that harvest data and automate people out, BU1ST proposes human-directed intelligence that runs locally, is owned by the user and is built for real workers in the field — tradies, cleaners, educators, councils and more.

It lays out the mindset, the technical stack and the operating principles that guide every BU1ST build. Reading it is the fastest way to understand why we obsess over local models, offline tools and blue-collar workflows.

  • Why centralised cloud AI creates dependency, risk and inequality.
  • The definition of Sovereign AI and what makes it different.
  • The BU1ST stack: edge capture, local models, orchestration, UI kits and audit layer.
  • How to design AI that augments workers instead of replacing them.
  • What a Sovereign AI rollout looks like for real organisations.
Who it’s for

Leaders who care where their AI actually lives

The paper is written for people making decisions about AI direction, not just engineers:

  • Founders and owners of blue-collar businesses.
  • CIOs, CTOs and IT leads in councils, education and infrastructure.
  • Policy and governance teams exploring local-first alternatives.

How to use it

Share it with your team, mark up the sections that resonate, and treat it as a blueprint when planning your own Sovereign AI roadmap.

Core principles
The three pillars of the BU1ST Sovereign AI Framework
Pillar 01
Local-first by design

Models run on your hardware: desktops, field laptops, mobile devices or private servers. Cloud is optional, never required. If the internet drops, the system keeps working.

Pillar 02
Worker-first workflows

Every flow starts from the point of work — the plumber on site, the cleaner in a unit, the teacher in the classroom. Interfaces are simple, fast and explainable, with no black-box decisions that undermine trust.

Pillar 03
True data sovereignty

You own the models, the weights and the outputs. No hidden training, re-selling or silent analytics. Sovereign AI means you can audit, back up, move or shut down the system on your terms.

Read the full paper online

Prefer to read it right here? The complete PDF is embedded below. Use full-screen on desktop for the best experience.