How to Use Qwen2.5-VL Locally?

Following DeepSeek’s disruption of the AI industry, another Chinese company, Qwen has introduced a series of advanced models that are even outperforming DeepSeek’s top-tier reasoning models.

Just days after DeepSeek’s launch, Qwen rolled out specialized models designed for specific tasks, offering real-world applications beyond just being chatbots.

If you’re curious about Qwen’s reasoning model, similar to DeepSeek R1, check out the blog I Tested QwQ 32B Preview: Alibaba’s Reasoning Model.

In this guide, I will show you how to use Qwen2.5-VL Locally and explore its flagship model online.

What is Qwen2.5-VL?

Qwen2.5-VL is Qwen’s newest and most powerful vision-language model. It’s a huge leap forward from its earlier version, Qwen2-VL.

This advanced AI can do much more than just recognize everyday objects like birds and flowers, it can also analyze complex charts, documents, and visual layouts with precision.

What makes Qwen2.5-VL special is its ability to think dynamically and perform complex reasoning tasks.

It can function on both computers and mobile devices, making it highly accessible to different types of users.

Key Features of Qwen2.5-VL

Advanced Video Analysis: Can process videos longer than an hour and detect key events within them.
Accurate Object Detection: Can pinpoint objects in images using bounding boxes or markers.
Structured Data Extraction: Provides organized JSON outputs for precise data retrieval.
Industry-Specific Applications: Supports document processing for finance, commerce, and other professional fields.

Qwen2.5-VL Benchmark Performance

The flagship model, Qwen2.5-VL-72B-Instruct, has outperformed leading AI models like Gemini 2 Flash, GPT-4o, and Claude 3.5 Sonnet. Its exceptional performance across various benchmarks cements its place as a top-tier vision-language model.

Want to test and compare different AI models? Follow the Evaluate LLMs Effectively Using DeepEval tutorial for guidance.

How to Use Qwen2.5-VL Locally?

You can set up and run Qwen2.5-VL locally with just a few simple steps. The official QwenLM/Qwen2.5-VL GitHub repository has all the necessary files.

1) Running Qwen2.5-VL as a Web App on Your Laptop

Step 1: Clone the GitHub Repository

git clone https://github.com/QwenLM/Qwen2.5-VL
cd Qwen2.5-VL

Step 2: Install the Required Dependencies

pip install -r requirements_web_demo.txt

Step 3: Make Sure Your GPU is Compatible

pip install torch torchvision torchaudio --index-url https://download.pytorch.org/whl/cu124

Step 4: Update Gradio for a Better User Experience

pip install -U gradio gradio_client

Step 5: Start the Web App Using the 3B Model

python web_demo_mm.py --checkpoint-path "Qwen/Qwen2.5-VL-3B-Instruct"

Once everything is set up, you can access the model through your local web browser at http://127.0.0.1:7860.

2) Running an experimental Qwen2.5-VL web app locally

Qwen also provides an experimental video chat demo that lets you interact with the AI using your webcam.

Steps to Try the Video Chat AI:

cd web_demo_streaming/
python app.py --checkpoint-path "Qwen/Qwen2.5-VL-3B-Instruct"

If you have a high-performance GPU, this setup will work smoothly, allowing real-time AI interaction through your camera.

3) Running Qwen2.5-VL locally with Docker Desktop

If you prefer a more stable setup, you can run Qwen2.5-VL using Docker.

Steps to Set Up Docker:

1. Install Docker Desktop.
2. Use the pre-configured Qwen AI Docker image:

docker run --gpus all --ipc=host --network=host --rm --name qwen2 -it qwenllm/qwenvl:2-cu121 bash

Using Qwen2.5-VL Online

Want to try Qwen2.5-VL-72B Instruct without setting it up locally?

Visit Qwen Chat, create an account, and start using it just like ChatGPT. Simply upload an image and ask questions about it.

Alibaba Cloud also provides API access, allowing developers to integrate Qwen models into custom applications.

Check out the Qwen (Alibaba Cloud) Tutorial for more details on API usage and fine-tuning.

Conclusion

Qwen2.5-VL is a game-changer in AI, proving that cutting-edge innovation isn’t limited to Western tech giants.

Its exceptional performance, high adaptability, and structured output capabilities make it ideal for various real-world applications.

Whether you want to analyze images, process documents, or build AI-powered applications, Qwen2.5-VL provides the tools you need. Give it a try today and explore the future of AI!

Want to try Qwen2.5-Max, but don’t know how to access it, read our guide on how to access Qwen2.5-Max.