OSS + ELC EU 2026

Creating your own AI platform sounds like a job for a funded team and a matching cloud bill. Surprisingly, it isn't. I want to show how a handful of open source tools combine into a minimal viable AI platform that runs on one machine from a single Docker Compose file.
Five layers are all needed for a valuable platform: LiteLLM as the gateway (one API for any model, with keys and cost tracking), Open WebUI as the chat interface, n8n for automation and agents that take real actions, Ollama for private local models, and Langfuse for request tracing.
Then we look at how to grow it (RAG, authentication, scaling) without adding a pile of disconnected tools. This setup can be advanced for every demand.
The setup is indeed not perfect, but it is a valid starting point for organizations of any size.
No enterprise budget needed, just you, some OSS tools and a little bit of interest.