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

Anonymous

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

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Anonymous

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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240 additional answers

Anonymous

2023-04-09T05:33:43+00:00

This is for a 32 bit installation of Office.
For 64 bit, "C:\program files...

And to delete the files, you need to use cmd prompt in administrator mode. I still couldn't delete aitrx.dll.
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Anonymous

2023-04-07T02:46:58+00:00

Thanks TMF 03. Didn't see that other file but will certainly look in both Prog folders as well... They sneak AI on during your MS Updates and Office Updates I have found...

They are out of bounds and should be forced to change how they wish to offer this... should be a choice at best only.
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Anonymous

2023-04-06T08:13:48+00:00
Thank you @alpenit, but please also remove aitrx.dll (don't know for sure about mlg.dll, but that doesn't seem to bother) and the ones in X86 (see: AI "Explanation")
```
# Kill AI

taskkill /IM ai.exe /F 

# Remove AI

cd "C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Office\root\vfs\ProgramFilesCommonX64\Microsoft Shared\OFFICE16"

Del ai.exe

Del ai.dll

Del aimgr.exe

Del aitrx.dll

cd "C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Office\root\vfs\ProgramFilesCommonX86\Microsoft Shared\OFFICE16"

Del ai.exe

Del ai.dll

Del aimgr.exe

Del aitrx.dll
```
This is just an invasion of our rights, even when you disable everything in 'Privacy Settings' it's still sending the AI data to Microsoft.

I just do NOT allow them to use my data for their AI...
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Anonymous

2023-03-31T01:20:28+00:00

It works, it works, it works! Thank you so much!

I'm pretty sure this has only been 'live' on my laptop for less than a week, but AAAAAAAAAAAAAaaaaaaaaaaaarg.

No.

Just no.

Windoze being 'helpful' again, making decisions no one wants.
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