How to completely remove Apple Intelligence (from a MacBook Pro)

Not_a_fan9999 wrote:

Inaccurate statement. My iPad software was just updated and the unrequested, unwanted Apple Intelligence was installed TURNED ON. I had to turn it on. I hate when Apple ASSUMES you want activated or installed every little thing they come up with. I don’t appreciate it and I resent it.

It was an accurate statement a month ago when it was posted. In MacOS 15.3 it defaulted to On.

In general, when Apple adds a feature on any device it defaults to ON, because if it didn’t the 99% of users who never read release notes would not know about the feature.

Not_a_fan9999 wrote:

Inaccurate statement. My iPad software was just updated and the unrequested, unwanted Apple Intelligence was installed TURNED ON. I had to turn it on. I hate when Apple ASSUMES you want activated or installed every little thing they come up with. I don’t appreciate it and I resent it.

You replied to an old post that was accurate at the time. With the recent update, it is on by default and if you do not want it, then shut it off. It really is that simple. Nothing to get excited about.

Mac Jim ID wrote:

You replied to an old post that was accurate at the time. With the recent update, it is on by default and if you do not want it, then shut it off. It really is that simple. Nothing to get excited about.

At least they were actually reading earlier posts...

I totally agree. The Apple Intelligence offer was also "placed" automatically in my system settings by Apple. I had already asked on this forum if anyone knew how to get rid of it. I had no intention of accessing it; however, it installed on the next system update. I am still upset about that and I, too, want it off my computer.

doris50 wrote:

As for (2), I haven't run across anything that tells me how to avoid using it.

It sounds as if you're asking how to turn Apple Intelligence off on your iPhone. Go to Settings>Apple Intelligence & Siri>Apple Intelligence and turn it off.

doris50 wrote:

Blocking doesn't seem effective at all in getting rid of spam emails either.

No, it's not. Nothing gets rid of spam. The best you can do is have it all diverted to your spam folder so you don't need to look at it.

Until sending spam stops being a profitable way for the less than ethical to make money or steal information, it will continue.

Just wanting to tell Apple I don't need/want Apple Intelligence. I turned it off, but it is still consuming 9GB.

I don't see what it will ever do for me. Summarize email? Who writes long emails anymore. Auto-generated Cliff-notes? Add appointments to calendar because it is such a burden! I do like the photo search stuff, like find all the burrito photos. But I can live without any of it.

MuZenEpsilon wrote:

Just wanting to tell Apple I don't need/want Apple Intelligence. I turned it off, but it is still consuming 9GB.

I don't see what it will ever do for me. Summarize email? Who writes long emails anymore. Auto-generated Cliff-notes? Add appointments to calendar because it is such a burden! I do like the photo search stuff, like find all the burrito photos. But I can live without any of it.

You aren't speaking with Apple here. This is a user to user only forum, which Apple doesn't actively participate, nor read for user feedback. If you want to tell Apple your thoughts, use this link --> Product Feedback - Apple

MuZenEpsilon wrote:

Just wanting to tell Apple I don't need/want Apple Intelligence. I turned it off, but it is still consuming 9GB.

I don't see what it will ever do for me. Summarize email? Who writes long emails anymore. Auto-generated Cliff-notes? Add appointments to calendar because it is such a burden! I do like the photo search stuff, like find all the burrito photos. But I can live without any of it.

Apple doesn't read here for feedback or suggestions. You can, however, let them know your thoughts here:

Product Feedback - Apple

Email summaries are useful, but not an essential feature. Text summaries, are more useful. But the strong point is in more advanced analysis and queries.

Yesterday I said; “Siri how old is Jane Brody;” it answered “83 years, Jane Brody was born May 19th, 1941”. Then I said “can you give me a summary of her biography”, and I got a good, detailed answer. Thus, Apple Intelligence supports a conversation and is useful for answering questions.

A few days ago, I said; “Siri, is tendonitis a possible complication of taking [a specific medication]?” I got a very long response first summarizing the answer (not directly, but it may be a complication of other side effects); it then summarized all applicable research on the subject, which amounted to several pages.

Blocking doesn't seem effective at all in getting rid of spam emails either.

Every time my MacBook Pro updates now, it installs Apple Intelligence and I have to go turn it off. I never opted in, but it keeps forcing it on me.

The Post you referred to back in September was before the update had been released and was purely speculative of how it would work. Now you know that it is turned off by default and you have none of the features installed unless you choose to turn them on

As the same post also explains, you have had Machine Learning on your device for a very long time and is the same thing as Artificial Intelligence, just without the label and incorporation of ChatGPT. That is why you are able to pick out Faces in pictures along with the other uses such as Siri Suggestions, Map Suggestions and Typing Predictions.

So the question is, did you turn on Apple Intelligence or not? If turned on the additional models were downloaded to your Mac.

Without enabling Apple Intelligence, you have nothing to worry about when it comes to those features being enabled, so that is clear.

As for the separate issue of the size of Mac OS, you have no control over that. For example, there are also all the Emojis included that you cannot delete even if you do not use them. In addition, the Apps such as Chess cannot be removed either. You could have the same argument that those should not be taking up storage space on your computer and the answer is the same. If you feel the size of MacOS is too large, then send Apple feedback.

And to conclude, MacOS is locked on a read only partition of the Hard Drive, where absolutely no changes are possible. Of course this is for security that prevents any modified System files that were problematic years ago, and Windows also adopted this technique to significantly reduce the viruses that have long plagued the early days of Windows. It is no longer possible to replace a system file/app with one that has altered its code for nefarious reasons and that is a good thing.

I have seen the conspiracy theories that Apple does not allow the installed apps to be removed, because Apple wants to track you. This is complete nonsense. Of course apps such as Chess are not required for the operation of the OS and it also cannot be deleted because it is part of the OS install locked on your read only partition. Luckily due to this protection, it also cannot be replaced by a fake Chess app that appears to be the same as the installed app.