Lapu AI vs OpenComputer

Lapu AI is a desktop agent for carrying out multi-step tasks with files, terminals and desktop applications on macOS and Windows. Give it a plain-language goal and it plans steps, selects tools and can pause for approval. It controls applications through interfaces exposed by the operating system, rather than taking over the mouse and keyboard. Workflows can be packaged as reusable skills and scheduled. It can operate services such as Notion, Slack, Google Workspace and Microsoft 365 through desktop or signed-in browser interfaces, without native connectors. Files, documents, folders, application data and audit logs remain on the user's machine; only context needed for a reasoning step is sent to the model provider. High-risk actions require explicit confirmation, and local action logs are retained by default for up to 90 days. The native app requires macOS 12 Monterey or later on Apple Silicon, or Windows 10 or 11 on 64-bit x86_64, with at least 4 GB RAM. A free plan is available; paid plans are listed from $20/mo.

OpenComputer is a free, MIT-licensed open-source desktop agent that runs locally and uses screen understanding to operate applications through mouse and keyboard actions. It can click, drag, scroll, enter text, use shortcuts, open URLs, and wait for interface changes. The agent can connect to a local vision-language model through vLLM or to a hosted API; the endpoint must accept image inputs, function tools, and the model’s tool-call format. Ask first is the default permission mode and requests approval for mouse, keyboard, and URL actions, while Automatic mode runs them without individual prompts. Build targets include Linux AppImage and deb packages, Windows NSIS, and macOS DMG. Linux X11 is best supported; Wayland, Windows, and macOS are experimental. The current agent operates only on the primary display. Screenshots, prompts, and tool results can remain local. API keys use user-only file permissions but are not stored in the operating-system keychain. The project describes itself as early alpha and recommends supervision for sensitive workflows.