Major tech companies like Google, Apple, Microsoft, and Meta have all introduced technology they label as artificial intelligence (AI). They claim that in the near future, AI will become a regular part of our lives, helping us write emails, create images, and summarize information.

But who actually asked for this?

From the feedback I’ve received from readers of this column, it’s clear that many people outside the tech world aren’t particularly interested in AI—and they’re becoming increasingly annoyed by how hard it is to avoid. Companies depend on user interaction to refine and develop their AI systems, which is why they’re embedding this tech into the products we use daily.

For example, typing a question like “Is Jay-Z left-handed?” into Google will now display an AI-generated summary above the search results. Likewise, when you use Instagram’s search function, you may be interacting with Meta’s chatbot, Meta AI. Apple is also rolling out its own AI tools, called Apple Intelligence, which will be integrated into buttons for editing text and photos in iPhones and other Apple devices via software updates.

The spread of AI in consumer tech raises significant concerns about data privacy. Companies are increasingly interested in analyzing our digital activity—whether it’s our photos, messages, or web searches—to improve their AI systems. For users, these tools can be more of a nuisance when they don’t work as expected.

“There’s a real distrust in these tools, but beyond that, it’s a design issue,” said Thorin Klosowski, a privacy and security analyst with the Electronic Frontier Foundation and a former Wirecutter editor. “It’s just clunky and intrusive.”

Fortunately, there are ways to opt out. After reaching out to Microsoft, Meta, Apple, and Google, I was able to gather instructions on how to disable their AI features or limit data collection, when possible. Here’s a guide to those steps.

Google

Google’s AI feature, AI Overviews, automatically generates a summary in response to your search queries. This feature had a rough start—at one point, it even suggested putting glue on pizza—but it has since improved. While you can’t fully turn off the AI-generated summaries, you can filter them out. After searching for something like “chocolate chip cookies recipe,” you can click the “Web” tab to view the regular search results.

To stop Google from recording your search history, go to myactivity.google.com and disable “web and app activity.” If you want to prevent Google’s chatbot, Gemini, from storing your data, you can find that option under the same URL at the product section for Gemini.

Meta

In April, Meta launched its Meta AI chatbot, which can perform tasks like finding flights, generating images, and creating recipes. This chatbot appears in the search bar of Meta’s apps, including Instagram, WhatsApp, and Messenger. Meta currently doesn’t allow users to turn off this feature, except in areas with stricter data protection laws, like the EU and the UK.

For instance, users in those regions can find opt-out instructions by going to “Settings,” then “About” and “Privacy Policy.” For users elsewhere, including in the U.S.,

Microsoft

Microsoft’s AI tool, Copilot, can be found by clicking a rainbow button in some products like the Edge browser and Bing search. The easiest way to avoid Copilot is to simply not click that button. If you want to remove it entirely from Edge, go to edge://settings in your browser, navigate to “Sidebar,” then “App and notification settings,” and turn off Copilot.

To stop Copilot from using your data for training purposes, visit copilot.microsoft.com and adjust the privacy settings under the account menu, where you can toggle off the “Model training” option.

As a tip for LinkedIn users, Microsoft’s platform has started using content posted on the site to help train its AI. To prevent this, go to the “Settings and Privacy” section of your profile, select “Data privacy,” then “Data for GenAI Improvement,” and turn the switch off.

Apple

Apple’s AI suite, Apple Intelligence, will be rolling out this month on iPhones, iPads, and Macs through software updates. To activate Apple Intelligence, users will need to opt in via the “Apple Intelligence & Siri” menu in settings. Once enabled, some features will appear in tools for editing text and photos, such as a “Clean Up” button to remove unwanted objects from images.

If you change your mind, you can easily turn it off by going back into the settings and disabling the Apple Intelligence switch. Apple assures users that their privacy is protected, claiming that any data sent to its servers is inaccessible to the company and is used solely for processing requests like Siri queries before being deleted.

In summary, while AI is being integrated into more everyday products, there are ways to manage and limit its presence, depending on the platform.