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
    2023-11-20T09:25:28+00:00

    Hi PamelaRussell3, I made a post on p14 starting "The easiest way ..."

    There are many ways a few of us have found to stop it running, Thanks to janh3 (p12) the best way for most users will be to use your antivirus to block the running of ai.exe. My post lists four (possible) paths to the ai.exe file, just add all four to your AV block page, restart the PC and see how that goes.

    The other methods of scheduled deleting work until there's an MS Office update whereby the files are reinstalled.

    I've used AV blocking since mid-June and it has never run since despite regular Office updating on all of our machines & notebooks.

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  2. Anonymous
    2023-11-20T17:37:14+00:00

    Not sure what approach you are taking to remove ai.exe. So sounds like you need to stop it from running before removing it... just use this command at the command prompt:

    taskkill /IM ai.exe /F

    That kills the process - you can then delete the file(s). You can verify its not running in Task Manager, Details... list by alpha it runs near the top of the list - if gone, success. Good Luck!

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  3. Anonymous
    2023-11-20T17:44:48+00:00

    Yeah well when they fixed things then - they didn't usually have to keep fixing them... WIn98 2nd ED - remember? Pretty solid - the first edition was the one that sucked. They have had 14 versions of WIndows 10... Windows 11 on its 3rd... Win11 is buggy as all hell... And they just keep adding unnecessary **** to it... my point is - they do not seem to really care about how well their products work... they use the public to test them... yet they can't seem to stabilize them... not like they used to...

    If you think about it - Windows versions have always alternated as stable and unstable... good version, **** version, good, ****... etc..

    Thats the way it sems to me.... whats going on developers???? We hire a new crew for every new version of Windows? Do we have way too many people working on new developments? Are they really well schooled and trained???

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  4. Anonymous
    2023-12-10T03:07:53+00:00

    You people at Microsoft need to get permission to load this type of content. It is NOT wanted by most people. Including me. I should not have to remove it. You should NOT have put it on my system without my permission.

    You will be getting a chat started so that YOU can get rid of it> I have already had to do this once, and now I am here again having to tell you to remove it.

    Thank you

    Anne

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