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
    2023-06-05T20:37:06+00:00

    Using Group Policy - in AD or locally works to deny it from running. The procedure was posted in this forum earlier. To remove the files - I had also posted a scheduled task that I run every hour to delete the files as they do come back after updates.... as to fiddling with permissions and file extensions... that may be a way also to stop install... but I haven' t found a reason to do so yet - I have GPO and task and can use both... as I do not even want the files on the systems... like some damn germ.

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  2. Anonymous
    2023-06-05T21:13:21+00:00

    I just found that if you change security permissions to deny for eveything that updates do not work at all. trying to reactivate the permissions did not help to get updates.

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  3. Anonymous
    2023-06-05T21:16:07+00:00

    Changing the file extensions only will prevent it from running until the next update when the files are replaced.

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  4. Anonymous
    2023-06-06T01:56:18+00:00

    FYI. Windows 11 Home. Enabled gpedit.msc (by default its not in Home version), Added paths to disallow... does not work. So it appears - and this is just one case... maybe a fluke.... that IF you get gpedit working in Home - policy isn't applying... I forced the update - no matter. So I resorted to adding the task to kill every hour on that machine. So then the question really is for me... does gpedit applied policy even registering in Home version.

    Just a little mention.

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