I just released Version 3.3 of my AI Explorer SketchUp Extension. This version comes with a small change that allows for a world of new experimentations: You can now use local LLMs on your computer via a software like LM Studio as the AI provider for this extension.
As you can see in the video below, this approach is 100% free and only depends on the hardware capabilities of your local computer! This means you don’t have to pay for tokens and you can even choose between a fairly large number of AI LLM models (including GPT-OSS, QWEN, GEMMA, DEEPSEEK,…). And nobody will ever train their AI systems on your prompts!
One word of caution: This is largely an experimental approach and its effectiveness is very much dependent on your hardware (especially your GPUs). But if you tweak this setup to your liking, it may open up new avenues.
Give the new version a spin. You can now find the extension in Trimble’s Extension Warehouse, so you can install it right inside of SketchUp. Let me know in the comments how you like this extension and if you come across any issues.
Changelog
- Version 3.3 (5/7/2026)
– API endpoint can now be http or https (e.g. for local models via LM Studio)
– Tweaked all system messages
– Set timeout to 60 seconds for longer (thinking) execution
– Selection dropdown for API endpoints
– Set default model to gpt-5.4-mini
– Minor fixes