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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Anonymous

2023-09-19T08:50:20+00:00

Okay - I gave it a while to test the theory, and the process I posted does not work. ai.exe starts when Word starts.

The GPO & AV blocking is definitely working for me. No traces of ai.exe running from Outlook 2019 or Word.

The ai files were updated in the recent office patches as usual, I stopped deleting them months ago.
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Anonymous

2023-09-13T00:13:00+00:00

I am sure you're right... I would expect that. I have dealt with them since DOS 1.0.

HA ... sounds like we're similar vintage!

We've both witnessed an enormous shift in how IT has developed & progressed over the decades, and in end user expectations.

That almost nobody seems that concerned with privacy is incredibly strange to us, who is collecting data on whom, where & why. I don't expect much resistance to AI integration given how pervasive AI is becoming, seems everybody seems convinced AI is fantastic.

As for MS Office alternatives, I've used Outlook with Exchange Server since first release and I have tried to find viable *nix alternatives to Outlook & Exchange Server's tightly integrated collaboration features, but didn't. The obvious things are covered of course but the lack of Tasks and Notes is where the others always failed for me; these are features that I value highly in Outlook/Exchange. I know lots of people don't use them but I have a great reluctance to giving them up as they're working features in the Android app I bought to connect to our Exchange accounts.

While Word is probably easy to replace, Excel ... I cannot as I have spreadsheets that use paid add-ons that won't work with anything other than Excel.

As long as the GPO and AV can stop ai.exe from running, we'll keeping use MS Office. If they find workarounds to these blocking measures, we'll keep investigating. I suspect eventually we'll need to identify the hostnames/IPs to block at the firewall level.
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Anonymous

2023-09-12T18:01:35+00:00

I am sure you're right... I would expect that. I have dealt with them since DOS 1.0. With all the other nonsense going on, censorship, control... why not jump on the wagon and do the same? I have voiced my opinions and frustrations with them to the point I don't need to repeat...

AI should be kept outside of an operating system that is mostly used for professional business.... We just want a reliable working OS with reliable software to do what business requires... Whatever role this MS AI is playing - in the way it was/is implemeted... secretly without notice or permission... hiding like a malware - is an abuse of the intent to instill trust and feel secure with their OS. It is almost insulting to discover it in the way it is found... no option as to allow or diallow it - no option to choose not to use it.... and above all - knowing whats its purpose is or its potential... what "can" it do or what "will" they instruct it to do...

We don't need it - it is of NO benefit... let people choose if they want something like that running on their computers... for me - it is a SPY... AI implies some foreign program that monitors, watches... wants to manipulate... Not on my systems.... No announcement of it being distributed and for what reason - its purpose or benefits... Too much of this today with our personal liberties and rights already.... Keep your **** off my systems
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Anonymous

2023-09-12T08:29:13+00:00

Hi @alpenit,

You may find that Microsoft is using things like this forum against us so it can wheedle out any hacks and tricks against their software. Something I would expect them, underhandedly, to do.

My trust for Microsoft is at an all time low, at the moment, and I'm seriously considering ditching Office and going with one of their competitors.

Kind regards,

Paul.
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