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
    2023-06-25T03:12:30+00:00

    yes janh3 being observant with the tools a lot of us already use... good catch! I also agree with your reasoning on webview2 - I wasn't sure of what it might do to muck with it.

    Sometimes I guess its easy to get eager when going after some of MS's bloat.

    I have always looked at "Windows" as an OS for business first... thats how it evolved and I have dealt with all versions - big for business... most of the issues and solutions found over the years are/were for business environments... Seeing them turn it into a glorified version of a phone OS, and all the garbage now added - for other than business - has made me pretty critical of the what I will call "idiots" behind the bloat. And I suppose its all in the interest of keeping up with the Joneses.... whatever it takes to force it on new computers, making people replace computers more than 4 years old... and add **** to it - to call it a new version and then sell it for $$$... its about money... and if "cute" sells... then "cute" it is...

    Its easy for me to go hunting on some of it. And you are right... about its purpose with webview2,,,so I wonder if the same holds true for AI... are we going to create adverse results for something down the road.... that people will want to work... I don't really care - its the nature of what AI is and the hidden mystery as to what all it is doing.... and how they forced it on us =.... and the manner in which they have installed it.... so ... will worry about the future when and if that becomes an issue - then.

    For now.... off with its head.

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  2. Anonymous
    2023-06-25T02:51:05+00:00

    If the AV program can block specific paths and not just blanket ai.exe, this could work. Another user here mentioned a game he regularly used also called ai.exe and his workaround avoided the blocking of that package.

    But this is an interesting angle - I'll dig into my domain AV management to see if this can be similarly implemented.

    So far it looks like we have three solutions - scheduled deletions, GPO and AV blocking

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  3. Anonymous
    2023-06-25T02:41:16+00:00

    Agreed janh3... really due to how they have written this in to Windows, all we seem to be able to do is block it or remove. Removing it is fine if you apply a routine like a a scheduled removal. Also group policy at least on Pro versions of Win 10/11 can also block it. If there is a way to "block it", then whatever that is - is just as good as the other for now. We have to check every so often to see if MS has either found a way around these removals and blocks or starts naming their executables and ancillary files something else... they are always making little changes... If these solutions we have presented here - get popular... then I would expect some kind of "retaliation" to thwart them. So YES - block bl;ock away! Just check in a week or so... it would be nice if we could rip it out of the registry, packages folders and programs folders... but as of yet, haven't gotten that far... and I certainly have the time to keep trying to figure out just how to do that... so tasks sceduled and blocks are going to have to work for now. And actually it can be removed from the packages folder - where it installs from... but that is just extra work... I am after the files associated with the program.... package files will return every update etc etc... so whats the point.

    I will try your idea as well on the next machine I block on.

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  4. Anonymous
    2023-06-25T02:04:34+00:00

    found another way to block it i hope,
    since I use a virus program where you can go in and manage programs and see programs that are trusted and not,
    in the middle of the list is ai.exe, you can right-click on it and block and set it to not be trusted and block start

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