Hardware compatibility

Why do agents need local hardware?

Your Bench AI agents work in two places at once. Part of the agent runs in the cloud for heavy processing, but the other part lives on a machine at your business. This local machine is the agent's secure home base — it stores context about your company, handles file access, and processes tasks that need your approval before running.

You get the power of cloud AI with the security and control of a machine you own. Your data stays under your roof, and the agents can only take sensitive actions when you say so.

That control isn't a setting. It's the machine, sitting in your office, that you own.

The Mac your agents live on

Your agents need one Apple Mac, running macOS with an Apple Silicon chip — M2 or better. It sits in your office and stays on, all day and all night. That's the box your agents call home: it holds your company's context, reaches your files, and runs the work that needs your sign-off before it goes anywhere.

For most shops a Mac Mini does the job — small, quiet, sits on a shelf. Running the full stack of agents, or pushing a heavy workload, we point you at a Mac Studio. Either way you don't have to guess: we size it with you before you buy.

You buy the Mac — from Apple or a Mac you already own works too, as long as it's Apple Silicon, M2 or better. There's no hardware to order from us. When you're ready, check the hardware box in the configurator and we handle the rest of the setup.

What it costs

The Mac is a one-time buy from Apple, yours to keep. On top of that there's a one-time $475 deployment fee when you turn on your agents.

We do the setup for you — we install Bench on your Mac, connect your agents, lock down approvals so nothing happens without your say-so, and make sure it stays running. It's charged once, at checkout, when you enable agents.

Frequently asked questions

Who owns the machine?

You do. You buy the Mac and it stays in your office. We set it up and keep it running, but it's your hardware, on your shelf, under your control.

Where does my data live?

Under your roof — that's the whole point. Your company's context and files sit on the Mac you own, not on someone else's server.

Does it have to stay on?

Yes. The Mac stays on, all day and all night, so your agents can watch your business and be ready when you need them. Leave it plugged in and online.

What if it goes offline?

When the Mac is off or off the network, the local side of your agents pauses — nothing runs behind your back. Power it back up and your agents come back online.

Can I use a Mac I already have?

If it runs macOS on Apple Silicon — M2 chip or better — yes. If you're not sure it's a fit, we'll size it with you before you commit.