Local vs. Cloud Decision Tree
For each of the eight tasks below, do three things: (1) name the dominant axis, (2) pick local, cloud, or hybrid, and (3) defend the choice in one sentence. Keep this sheet — Lesson 2.5 reuses it.
The four axes — a reminder
CapabilityHow smart does the model need to be?
CostHow often will this run? Per-request vs. free-at-margin.
PrivacyMust the input stay on the machine?
ReliabilityInternet up? Laptop on? Which failure mode is worse?
Tasks
Dominant axis
Local / Cloud / Hybrid
One-sentence defense
TASK 1
Translate a 2-page Spanish travel itinerary your family is using next month into English.
axis
pick
defense
TASK 2
Summarize your own journal entries from the past year to help you prepare for a conversation with your pastor.
axis
pick
defense
TASK 3
Help you debug a React bug you have been stuck on for two hours.
axis
pick
defense
TASK 4
Draft 30 variations of a short LinkedIn post about your summer internship.
axis
pick
defense
TASK 5
Grade your little brother’s math worksheet — he is homeschooled and the answer key is only on paper.
axis
pick
defense
TASK 6
Generate a daily personalized news digest for the next 90 days, tailored to your interests, running automatically at 7am.
axis
pick
defense
TASK 7
Read a long PDF of a classic novel you have on your hard drive and suggest discussion questions for your book club.
axis
pick
defense
TASK 8
Help you write a cover letter for a job that sent you the hiring manager’s name in confidence and asked you not to share it externally.
axis
pick
defense
Scoring yourself
There is no single right answer for every task — but some answers are much more defensible than others. A good pass earns a check on all eight. A strong pass shows at least one hybrid pick with a clear reason (e.g., “cloud for drafting, local for the sensitive paragraph”). If all eight of your picks are the same, that is almost certainly drift, not judgment. Go back and look again.