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
    2023-04-19T01:01:12+00:00

    Not up to date on any AI discussion as it is in the world right now. Am hearing a lot of hype about it. I watched an Elon Musk interview last night. Apparently he was one of the developers or had some big part in creation of OpenAI, and it was open source. He left and apparently they are now "closed", no longer open source. He also said Microsoft has stepped in with OpenAI, making it closed and has obtained ownership or greater control of OpenAI.

    "IF" this is some integration of this big powerful "OpenAI" - that just makes it all the more reason to say "Shove It". I refuse to have ANY freaking AI big or small, good or bad, running on my systems. Whether its called "copilot" or just "AI", and a little executable file with its ancillary dlls and other files... if there is a way to get rid of it - I will.

    Its too new, we do not know what it is capable of doing or what MS will ask it to do... they will NOT have that capability on my machines, and to force it - should bring about legal action. Its a foreign alien trespassing process.

    Do I have the time to research if there is any action or effort developing, or the time to start writing letters... making inquiries,,, no... but I will contribute if I find such - at least sign my name.

    If they get clever and find new ways to sneak it on the machine where my removal does not work, then I suppose I will be pissed enough to go looking.

    This just gets me so irritated.

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  2. Anonymous
    2023-04-26T16:22:57+00:00

    Good idea...zapped!

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  3. Anonymous
    2023-05-01T15:27:23+00:00

    It is very presumptuous to automatically enable AI on updates. This absolutely kills functionality on machines that rely heavily on processing power. AI should be an optional component, not a standard.

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  4. Anonymous
    2023-05-01T16:28:02+00:00

    Agreed.

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