Get the AI out!!

I have been asked several times about removing the AI features from the latest iOS and MacOS updates. 

I am happy to report that there are several areas where AI or machine learning (ML) functionalities are integrated into the operating systems, and here's how you can control or minimize the use these features:

1. Siri and Dictation

• Disable Siri:
  1. Go to System Settings > Siri & Spotlight.
  2. Toggle off Enable Ask Siri.
• Disable Dictation:
  1. Go to System Settings > Keyboard.
  2. Toggle off Enable Dictation.

2. Live Text (Text Recognition in Images)

• Disable Live Text:
  1. Go to System Settings > General > Language & Region.
  2. Toggle off Live Text.

3. Spotlight Suggestions

• Disable Spotlight Suggestions:
  1. Go to System Settings > Siri & Spotlight.
  2. Uncheck all Spotlight categories that you don't want the system to suggest or index.

4. Photos and Face Recognition

• macOS Photos app uses AI for face and scene recognition:
  • While you can't entirely disable this feature, you can avoid using the Photos app for photo management or turn off iCloud Photo Library to minimize data processing.

5. Keyboard and Autocorrect Suggestions

• Disable Text Predictions:
  1. Go to System Settings > Keyboard.
  2. Toggle off Auto-Correction and Text Suggestions.

6. Privacy and App Permissions

• Review and limit permissions for apps that use AI features:
  1. Go to System Settings > Privacy & Security.
  2. Adjust app permissions for Camera, Microphone, and others as needed.

7. Disable App-Specific AI Features

• Some apps like Safari or Mail may use AI-based features (e.g., smart suggestions or filtering). Check their specific settings to turn off these features.

8. Turn Off Neural Engine-Driven Features

• Many AI/ML tasks in macOS leverage the Apple Neural Engine, but there isn't a general toggle to disable it. Limiting the features above minimizes its usage.