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
    2023-09-16T17:35:25+00:00

    Here;s something to wonder about.... 'Windows Configuration Updates". Microsoft confirms "Windows configuration updates" for Windows 11 (windowslatest.com) I do not have the option enabled to get updates as soon as available enabled. Yet I see one machine wants to restart after installing "windows configuration update"... Just a heads up... the description of what these updates are involves installing n4ew features and making others better...

    Doing a image backup before I restart... will look for AI after... I wonder... if they change how AI loads to get around what we are doing... will it still be named the same AI.EXE... might want to look into this... sounds little like how they deployed AI.

    But lets not get into a big discussion here... might want to start a new thread IF its another change we are not wanting.

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  2. Anonymous
    2023-09-12T16:08:08+00:00

    I am not going to be concerned too much with whether MS catches on to these methods of stopping their little AI program.... They may... and we should expect that could happen. Deal with it then...

    I would like to find out of there is any effort by anyone or a number of people to report this to whatever regulatory agency there may be.... IF there is one anymore...

    This is worthy of being reported and and effort to stop it or at least give the choice to the user as to whether they want it or not. I have not looked into any of that... IF there is any such effort or agency...

    I am a one man band..... and too much going on.... I'll see if I can get the desire up one evening soon and start looking....

    Who is protesting this, how and how many supporters are behind it... Thats my feeling on whether MS will notice and make a change...

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  3. Anonymous
    2023-09-12T09:10:17+00:00

    It's probably prudent to include the full paths listed before to make sure the DisallowRun key only blocks the MS ai.exe.

    As noted in the first few pages one user found that using just ai.exe stopped him running his Alien Invasion game, which has an executable ai.exe.

    This is why I created the GPO with the full paths.

    It's not actually obvious whether it requires a whole path or simply the filename. The key prevents things like wannacry executables from running.

    (Apologies - I am PaulW70; this is an alternative account).

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  4. Anonymous
    2023-09-12T08:59:56+00:00

    I may have found a way to disable this, but if I post it here, will M$ workaround it.

    The application could possibly be disabled using the DisallowRun registry key...

    5.Edit this string and enter ai.exe.

    It's probably prudent to include the full paths listed before to make sure the DisallowRun key only blocks the MS ai.exe.

    As noted in the first few pages one user found that using just ai.exe stopped him running his Alien Invasion game, which has an executable ai.exe.

    This is why I created the GPO with the full paths.

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