diff --git a/VoiceInk.xcodeproj/project.xcworkspace/xcshareddata/swiftpm/Package.resolved b/VoiceInk.xcodeproj/project.xcworkspace/xcshareddata/swiftpm/Package.resolved
index 06849e9..ad0d30f 100644
--- a/VoiceInk.xcodeproj/project.xcworkspace/xcshareddata/swiftpm/Package.resolved
+++ b/VoiceInk.xcodeproj/project.xcworkspace/xcshareddata/swiftpm/Package.resolved
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@
       "location" : "https://github.com/FluidInference/FluidAudio",
       "state" : {
         "branch" : "main",
-        "revision" : "8136bd0642e7c5ce1f6f5b2931890266aeecb08c"
+        "revision" : "ddee663c4a9806d4f139943b0978b0f0a961587b"
       }
     },
     {
diff --git a/VoiceInk/Services/ParakeetTranscriptionService.swift b/VoiceInk/Services/ParakeetTranscriptionService.swift
index 0c0b2f0..82927a5 100644
--- a/VoiceInk/Services/ParakeetTranscriptionService.swift
+++ b/VoiceInk/Services/ParakeetTranscriptionService.swift
@@ -4,6 +4,17 @@ import AVFoundation
 import FluidAudio
 import os.log
 
+enum ParakeetTranscriptionError: LocalizedError {
+    case modelValidationFailed(String)
+
+    var errorDescription: String? {
+        switch self {
+        case .modelValidationFailed(let message):
+            return message
+        }
+    }
+}
+
 class ParakeetTranscriptionService: TranscriptionService {
     private var asrManager: AsrManager?
     private var vadManager: VadManager?
@@ -21,6 +32,14 @@ class ParakeetTranscriptionService: TranscriptionService {
 
         cleanup()
 
+        // Validate models before loading
+        let isValid = try await AsrModels.isModelValid(version: version)
+
+        if !isValid {
+            logger.error("Model validation failed for \(version == .v2 ? "v2" : "v3"). Models are corrupted.")
+            throw ParakeetTranscriptionError.modelValidationFailed("Parakeet models are corrupted. Please delete and re-download the model.")
+        }
+
         let manager = AsrManager(config: .default)
         let models = try await AsrModels.loadFromCache(
             configuration: nil,
diff --git a/VoiceInk/Services/SystemArchitecture.swift b/VoiceInk/Services/SystemArchitecture.swift
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..cf0054d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/VoiceInk/Services/SystemArchitecture.swift
@@ -0,0 +1,29 @@
+import Foundation
+
+enum SystemArchitecture {
+    static var isIntelMac: Bool {
+        #if arch(x86_64)
+        return true
+        #else
+        return false
+        #endif
+    }
+
+    static var isAppleSilicon: Bool {
+        #if arch(arm64)
+        return true
+        #else
+        return false
+        #endif
+    }
+
+    static var current: String {
+        #if arch(arm64)
+        return "Apple Silicon (ARM64)"
+        #elseif arch(x86_64)
+        return "Intel (x86_64)"
+        #else
+        return "Unknown"
+        #endif
+    }
+}
diff --git a/VoiceInk/Services/SystemInfoService.swift b/VoiceInk/Services/SystemInfoService.swift
index 5ecfb05..490c2b4 100644
--- a/VoiceInk/Services/SystemInfoService.swift
+++ b/VoiceInk/Services/SystemInfoService.swift
@@ -88,13 +88,7 @@ class SystemInfoService {
     }
 
     private func getArchitecture() -> String {
-        #if arch(x86_64)
-            return "Intel x86_64"
-        #elseif arch(arm64)
-            return "Apple Silicon (ARM64)"
-        #else
-            return "Unknown"
-        #endif
+        return SystemArchitecture.current
     }
 
     private func getAudioInputMode() -> String {
diff --git a/VoiceInk/Views/AI Models/ModelManagementView.swift b/VoiceInk/Views/AI Models/ModelManagementView.swift
index 001f80e..0db0fae 100644
--- a/VoiceInk/Views/AI Models/ModelManagementView.swift	
+++ b/VoiceInk/Views/AI Models/ModelManagementView.swift	
@@ -33,6 +33,10 @@ struct ModelManagementView: View {
     var body: some View {
         ScrollView {
             VStack(alignment: .leading, spacing: 24) {
+                if SystemArchitecture.isIntelMac {
+                    intelMacWarningBanner
+                }
+
                 defaultModelSection
                 languageSelectionSection
                 availableModelsSection
@@ -209,6 +213,43 @@ struct ModelManagementView: View {
         .padding()
     }
 
+    private var intelMacWarningBanner: some View {
+        HStack(spacing: 10) {
+            Image(systemName: "exclamationmark.triangle.fill")
+                .font(.system(size: 14, weight: .semibold))
+                .foregroundColor(.orange)
+
+            Text("Local models don't work reliably on Intel Macs")
+                .font(.system(size: 13, weight: .medium))
+                .foregroundColor(.primary.opacity(0.85))
+
+            Spacer()
+
+            Button(action: {
+                withAnimation(.spring(response: 0.3, dampingFraction: 0.8)) {
+                    selectedFilter = .cloud
+                }
+            }) {
+                HStack(spacing: 4) {
+                    Text("Use Cloud")
+                        .font(.system(size: 12, weight: .semibold))
+                    Image(systemName: "arrow.right")
+                        .font(.system(size: 10, weight: .bold))
+                }
+                .foregroundColor(.orange)
+                .padding(.horizontal, 12)
+                .padding(.vertical, 6)
+                .background(Color.orange.opacity(0.12))
+                .cornerRadius(6)
+            }
+            .buttonStyle(.plain)
+        }
+        .padding(.horizontal, 14)
+        .padding(.vertical, 10)
+        .background(Color.orange.opacity(0.08))
+        .cornerRadius(8)
+    }
+
     private var filteredModels: [any TranscriptionModel] {
         switch selectedFilter {
         case .recommended: