Disable AI / Copilot on Windows

Purpose

Disabling tools like Copilot in certain research environments or for data security reasons can indeed be a prudent decision. Here’s why:

1. Data Privacy: Research often involves sensitive data which could be proprietary, confidential, or subject to strict privacy laws (like personal health information under HIPAA). Tools like Copilot, by design, could capture snippets of this data in order to provide coding assistance, which might pose a risk if the data is sensitive or regulated.

2. Intellectual Property: In research settings, the protection of intellectual property is paramount. There's a risk that proprietary algorithms or code could inadvertently be leaked or shared externally through the tool’s network or servers.

3. Compliance and Control: Many research institutions operate under strict compliance protocols which may not align with the data handling and processing practices of external tools. Disabling such tools ensures that all data handling remains within the controlled and audited systems of the institution.

4. Customization and Specificity: Research often requires highly specialized tools tailored to the specific needs of a project or discipline. General tools like Copilot might not only be insufficient but could potentially introduce errors or inefficiencies if their generic suggestions aren’t applicable.

5. Security Risks: The integration of any third-party software, including AI-driven tools, increases the potential attack surface for cyber threats. Disabling these tools can mitigate unauthorized access risks.

In environments where data security and integrity are of the utmost importance, controlling every aspect of the data flow and interaction becomes crucial. Hence, disabling tools like Copilot can help maintain the stringent standards required in research and data-sensitive environments. Keeping everything locked down tight, as they say!
 

How-To

To disable Microsoft Copilot on a new computer, you can: 

• Open Settings
• Select Privacy & security
• Scroll down and select Copilot
• Toggle the switch labeled Microsoft Copilot to the Off position
• Uninstall the Copilot app
• Use the Intune policy or Group Policy to turn off Copilot
• Turn off the “Show Copilot” toggle switch in Bing or Edge
• Turn off actionable banners in Microsoft 365 apps
   

Steps to disable Copilot in Windows 

1. Open Settings
2. Select Privacy & security
3. Scroll down and select Copilot
4. Toggle the switch labeled Microsoft Copilot to the Off position
    

Steps to uninstall the Copilot app 

1. Go to Settings
2. Select Apps
3. Select Installed Apps
4. Select the three dots appearing on the right side of the app
5. Select Uninstall from the dropdown list
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Uninstall Copilot with winget

1. Press Win + X or right-click the Start button, and select Terminal (Admin).
2. Type winget uninstall --id Microsoft. Copilot_8wekyb3d8bbwe , and hit Enter .
3. Confirm the removal, and winget will remove the Copilot app from your computer.