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dbrenner23
User level: Level 1 (44 points)

A plea to Apple - Please bring back the AI Kill Switch, lost in OS 27

Posting this just in case anyone in the Apple community is listening -- comment/promote if you agree!!


Please, please, please, Apple: Bring back the AI Kill Switch that you got rid of going from ...OS 26 to ...OS 27.


I (unfortunately) upgraded to iPadOS 27.2 to put my toe in the water, and found that the kill switch was gone (ie. single switch in settings to turn off all AI), replaced by a maze of settings that can, at best, only disable most AI. I've disabled all I can find, and still see no change to AI in total memory -- 6+GB. Now, I've got a choice: Live with AI on my devices (and no one's AI is ready for general use, including Apple's. AI has made all of us Big Tech's unpaid QA department) -- OR -- just stop using my iPad, and forestall future Apple purchases until choice is back.


One of the reasons I've stayed with Apple products over the past few years is that Apple gave users a choice about AI, rather than forcing it down their users' throats (like it's competitors do). Please go back to that wiser and better customer-serving strategy!


Many thanks,


-- David B.

Posted on Nov 7, 2026 6:31 AM

6 replies

KiltedTim
User level: Level 10 (238,530 points)

Nov 9, 2026 10:02 AM in response to _RG_

You are not talking to Apple.


You can send them feedback at https://apple.com/feedback


dbrenner23 Author
User level: Level 1 (44 points)

Nov 7, 2026 4:58 PM in response to dbrenner23

Many thanks, KiltedTim and muguy, for your responses.


I took you both up on your suggestions.


As for getting to know how Apple AI works, I continued that journey. I still maintain that changing the OS in v28, making it harder to turn off, does a disservice to Apple's customers. The choice should be there, and it should be easy. And off should mean off; not mostly off.


That being said, I'll still say that Apple continues to be better than its competitors. The split architecture, where "simple" AI tasks are done locally (and presumably privately) only is definitely better than the wild west of the rest of big tech. As for me, I'm grateful that I have two non-upgraded devices (iPhone & Macbook Pro) that I can keep on v26. I'll wipe my iPad, and create a new identity and Apple Id to use with it; free of any activity that contains real PII and other personal info that I don't want going up to Apple AI Servers until have time to fully investigate and verify.


Many thanks again!

muguy
User level: Level 10 (95,874 points)

Nov 7, 2026 6:36 AM in response to dbrenner23

Visit Apple.com/feedback

Mac Jim ID
User level: Level 10 (105,996 points)

Nov 9, 2026 10:21 AM in response to _RG_

Believe it or not, you have had AI on your phone before the label of Apple Intelligence was used, where there was also no global kill switch. Even before Apple Intelligence, it was just called Machine Learning and it was used for:

  • Auto photo enhancement
  • Siri Dictation
  • Predictive Keyboard
  • Spell Checking
  • Face ID
  • Touch ID
  • Live Text
  • Eye Tracking Accessibility feature
  • Finding photos by keyword
  • People detection in photos
  • Sound Recognition (Door bell, Smoke Detector, Crying baby, etc)
_RG_
User level: Level 1 (14 points)

Nov 9, 2026 8:02 AM in response to dbrenner23

I agree! I turned off Siri completely, but Apple Intelligence is still rooted throughout the phone and, with no kill switch, I’m ready to pull out the old Motorola flip phone from like 2009 to see if it’s got juice.

BRING BACK THE AI KILL SWITCH PLEASE

Originally posted at discussions.apple.com/thread/256390301