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
    2023-08-25T16:59:45+00:00

    Also - if you use group policy, you want to run GPUPDATE /FORCE from an elevated command prompt to apply the policy to the computer you have made the change on, or on the domain server with AD where you have edited the default domain policy for all computers. I usually reboot after. If on a domain - you probably need to reboot those computers to have them again login to the domain and pickup the changes... if you want immediate change. Otherwise they will pick it up eventually.

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  2. Anonymous
    2023-08-25T04:31:02+00:00

    I shall take a look through the posts and look at the GPO option.

    The AD GPO blocking option should be confirmed with the domain users. I asked one of my clients if they wanted me to disable ai.exe using GPO and AV blocking and weirdly they said NO!

    The GPO policy I created was under "Computer Configuration", I wanted it network-wide here.

    If you want to include/exclude by user accounts you'll can create the same rules under "User Configuration" instead. Then a Domain Group called "Block ai.exe" would be created for users who want it disabled and the group added in Security Filtering for the policy.

    This is also useful if users change their mind and want ai.exe, so they would be removed from the group and after GPO propagation it "should" start working for them again.

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  3. Anonymous
    2023-08-24T17:19:58+00:00

    When you create the rukes.... make sure to check the 'Disallow' button for each. You may need to right click on "Software Restriction Policeis/Additional Rules to get the Add Path Rules choice.

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  4. Anonymous
    2023-08-24T16:18:46+00:00

    Hey alpenit,
    I'm glad it's not just me, I write software and as it matures it gets more and more stable, MS seem to take the opposite approach.
    W11 is an abomination, it's a resource hog and just simple things like the mess of the context menus is just astonishing.
    It's obvious that so many developers at these big corps don't actually use the products they work on, because if they did they won't be so shoddy!
    I shall take a look through the posts and look at the GPO option.
    Cheers! :)

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