How do I disable the "Artificial Intelligence (AI) Host [etc]" feature?

Anonymous
2023-02-09T16:34:50+00:00

We have started getting complaints from our customers over this "feature" as it appears to be quite the resource hog, and of course they are blaming our add-ins.

Killing the ai.exe process appears to have no ill effect on the usability of Office programs such as Word, Outlook or Excel.

So I need to know how we can disable it. I'd prefer to give an instruction to our users on how they can switch off a feature they do not want, they feel they do not need, and that causes their old PCs to start sounding like a Harrier Jet taking off.

Thank you

Microsoft 365 and Office | Install, redeem, activate | Other | Other

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Anonymous
2024-02-07T21:10:13+00:00

This seems to work. There are all sorts of solutions put out there that involve things like editing the Registry. Here's a much easier fix that seems to have worked for me (and this is from The Geek Page https://thegeekpage.com/how-to-disable-the-artificial-intelligence-ai-host-feature/).

First, the obvious: delete the AI executables from the OFFICE folder:
ai.exe

ai.exe
aitrx.dll

Second - this is incredibly easy. Deleting the executables does not completely work because Office automatically updates itself with new copies of those files.

Since the AI Host runs when you use an Office app:
Disable the Office app updates.

To do this, open any Office application, like Word.

– Click the “File” menu and then the “Account” menu item - this may be under the "More..." menu item, in which case click "More..." and then click "Account"

– There, click on “Update Options”, which brings up a popup menu - on the popup menu, set that to “Disable Updates” to disable Office updates for all Office apps

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  1. Anonymous
    2023-09-19T02:58:42+00:00

    If you really want to know what being cornered is, get this, I have Windows 11 in S Mode. I cannot use any kind of command prompt, registry editor, group policy, etc. to try fixes. So I can't really fix squat.

    I have threatened to go to the dump and dig up an old broken Etch-e-Sketch to use instead of continuing with Microsoft. Some of you may have to look up what an Etch-e-Sketch is. Better go back about 55-60 yrs.

    Thank you all for this enlightened discussion.

    Both alpenit and I will have owned them way back, I remember mine fondly!

    There is a way to disable S Mode if you're game

    https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/switching-out-of-s-mode-in-windows-4f56d9be-99ec-6983-119f-031bfb28a307#WindowsVersion=Windows_11

    Neither of us will have tried this, I've avoided working on any Win XX Home machine and never seen an S Mode device but if you have a go please report back with what you've found.

    I would think that after disabling S Mode you'll be allowed to install and configure an Antivirus package the way you want, blocking the AI executable from running.

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  2. Anonymous
    2023-09-18T17:10:48+00:00

    I thought I was the only one. Reading this discussion has been quite refreshing. I thought my PC was being hacked. I won't go into all of my particulars. It's too ugly and frankly trying to keep ahead of what I call the "System Sneaks" is all consuming. I just have to try to keep one step ahead. I never had these types of problems with a PC until about Nov. 2022.

    If you really want to know what being cornered is, get this, I have Windows 11 in S Mode. I cannot use any kind of command prompt, registry editor, group policy, etc. to try fixes. So I can't really fix squat.

    I have threatened to go to the dump and dig up an old broken Etch-e-Sketch to use instead of continuing with Microsoft. Some of you may have to look up what an Etch-e-Sketch is. Better go back about 55-60 yrs.

    Thank you all for this enlightened discussion.

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  3. Anonymous
    2023-09-16T17:35:25+00:00

    Here;s something to wonder about.... 'Windows Configuration Updates". Microsoft confirms "Windows configuration updates" for Windows 11 (windowslatest.com) I do not have the option enabled to get updates as soon as available enabled. Yet I see one machine wants to restart after installing "windows configuration update"... Just a heads up... the description of what these updates are involves installing n4ew features and making others better...

    Doing a image backup before I restart... will look for AI after... I wonder... if they change how AI loads to get around what we are doing... will it still be named the same AI.EXE... might want to look into this... sounds little like how they deployed AI.

    But lets not get into a big discussion here... might want to start a new thread IF its another change we are not wanting.

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  4. Anonymous
    2023-09-14T08:32:51+00:00

    Please make it possible to disable the "feature" per AD group policy.

    THX!

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