What Do You Mean You Don't Want an AI Spying on Everything You Do?

Microsoft knows best. Microsoft Copilot shows up even when it's not wanted: Just us or is AI increasingly appearing like an unwanted party guest?

Just imagine. An AI (from that bastion of infallible software, Microsoft) spying on everything you do, and reporting it somewhere. Passwords. Intellectual Property. What's that you say? They promise, cross their heart, to not send the data anywhere. Sure they won't. Not even to One Drive?

You can't even turn the damn thing off, when they promised that you would be able to, so what else are they wrong/lying about?

Microsoft customers are claiming the Windows giant's Copilot AI service sometimes ignores commands to disable the thing, and thus turns itself back on like a zombie risen from the dead.

A bug report to the corporation's Visual Studio Code, aka VS Code, Copilot repository from crypto developer rektbuildr claims Github Copilot enabled itself within various VS Code workspaces on its own.

There was a brief period this week, when I considered going back to Windows. It comes preloaded on the computers I am looking at purchasing. But that would be a mistake.

Uninstalling Windows Copilot now requires using PowerShell and then preventing reinstallation via AppLocker, according to Microsoft documentation.

In other words, not something that is going to be easy for the average user to do.

It isn't just Microsoft who is sure that you REALLY do want AI in your life. Apple is doing the same stuff.

Avoiding AI has become something of a challenge with other vendors, too. With the arrival of iOS 18.3.2 in March, Apple customers found that the update re-enabled Apple Intelligence, the iBiz's AI suite, for those who had previously tried to snuff it out.

Linux Mint is so much nicer. Or it would be if my ancient PC was not in the process of giving up the ghost. Fan bearings on their way out can be annoying. (Or that's what I think it is.)