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Comment by vouaobrasil | Hacker News Reader

Apple's integration of AI into its MacOS is the one reason why I am considering a switch back to Linux after my current laptop dies.

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If that’s the one reason, have you considered just… not using the AI features?

Sure you can for now. But what when it's forced upon you to use them?

Well if that hypothetical situation ever happens, you can just switch to Linux then.

Why do you care if they switch now?

There is no real need and the issue is hypothetical?

I find it offensive to have any generative AI code on my computer.

So, then don’t do that? It’s not like it’s automatically generating code without you asking.

I didn't say "generating code", I meant I find it offensive to have any code sitting on my computer that generates code, whether I use it or not. I prefer minimalism: just have on my computer what I will use, and I have a limited data connection which means even more updates with useless code I won't use.

I think I know what you meant. You mean you don't want code that runs generative AI in your computer? But, what you wrote could also mean you don't want any code running that was generated by AI. Even with open source, your computer will be running code generated by AI as most open source projects are using it. I suspect it will be nearly impossible to avoid. Most open source projects will accept AI generated code as long as it's been reviewed.

Good point, and you were right. I was ambiguous. I meant a system that generates stuff, not stuff that was generated by AI. But I'd rather not use stuff that was generated by AI, either. But you are also right. That will become impossible, and probably already is. Not a very nice world, I think. Best thing to do then is to minimize it, and avoid computers as much as possible....

I promise you there is Linux code that has been tab-completed with Copilot or similar, perhaps even before ChatGPT ever launched

That is true. I actually was ambiguous in my post, because I meant code that generates stuff, not that was generated by AI, even though I don't like the latter, either.

I find it offensive to have any generative AI code on my computer.

Settings → Apple Intelligence and Siri → toggle Apple Intelligence off.

It's not enabled by default. But in case you accidentally turned it on, turning it off gets you a bunch of disk space back as the AI stuff is removed from the OS.

Some people are just looking for a reason to be offended.

The theatrics of being *forced* to use completely optional, opt-in features has been a staple of discussions regarding Apple for years.

Every year, macOS and iPadOS look superficially more and more similar, but they remain distinct in their interfaces, features, etc. But the past 15 years have been "we'll be *forced* to only use Apple-vetted software, just like the App Store!"

And yeah, the Gatekeeper mechanism got less straight-forward to get around in macOS 15, but … I don't know, someone will shoot me down for this, but it's been a long 15 years to be an Apple user with all that noise going on around you from people who really don't have the first clue what they're talking about — and on HN, no less.

They can come back to me when what they say actually happens. Until then, fifteen dang years.

Not forced to use, forced to download and waste 2GB of disk space.

I presume you're talking about Apple Intelligence.

It's not forced. It's completely optional. It has to be downloaded.

And if you activate it, then change your mind, you get the disk space back when you turn it off.

I have a limited connection, and don't want to update my computer with AI garbage.

So don't. You have to tell the computer to download Apple Intelligence. It doesn't just happen on its own.

Just don't push the Yes button when it offers.

Well, I thought it came with the OS update, so I guess I was mistaken then.

With a single toggle, you can turn off Apple Intelligence

See (System) Settings

But I can't toggle off downloading it, which is 2GB on my limited connection and 2GB of MY disk space.

This reads like the crotchety and persnickety 60-somethings in the 1990's who said the internet was a passing and annoying fad.

I do think there is a lot of valid criticism of the internet. I certainly don't think it's an annoying fad but I do think it has caused a lot of bad things for humanity. In some ways, life was much better without it, even though there are some benefits.

Actually, most "AI" cults blindly worship at their own ignorance:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sV7C6Ezl35A

The ML hype-cycle has happened before... but this time everyone is adding more complexity to obfuscate the BS. There is also a funny callback to YC in the Lisp story, and why your karma still gets incinerated if one points out its obvious limitations in a thread.

Have a wonderful day, =3

It is impossible to have a negative opinion of AI without silly comments like this just one step removed from calling you a boomer or a Luddite. Yes all technological progress is good and if you don’t agree you’re a dumb hick.

AI maximalists are like those 100 years ago that put radium everywhere, even in toothpaste, because new things are cool and we’re so smart you need to trust us they won’t cause any harm.

I’ll keep brushing my teeth with baking soda, thank you very much.

On the other side of that are the people screaming that AI is murder.

There are lots of folks like this, and it's getting exhausting that they make being anti-AI their sole defining character trait: https://www.reddit.com/r/ArtistHate

It's also exhausting to see endless new applications of AI, even worse IMO.

I am a Luddite, but I think that's a good thing. I don't mind the negative comments at all. I get them all the time.

I was musing before sleep days ago about how maybe the internet still is just a fad. We’ve had a few decades of it, yeah, but maybe in the future people will look at it as boring tech just like I viewed VCRs or phones when I was growing up. Maybe we’re still addicted to the novelty of it, but in the future it fades into the background of life.

I’ve read stories about how people were amazed at calling each other and would get together or meet at the local home with a phone installed, a gathering spot, make an event about it. Now it’s boring background tech.

We kind of went through a faze of this with the introduction of webcams. Omegle, Chatroulette, it was a wild Wild West. Now it’s normalized, standard for work with the likes of Zoom, with FaceTiming just being normal.

A few years ago I would've said you were incredibly cynical, but nowadays with so much AI slop around social media and just tonnes of bad content I tend to agree with you.

Now the Cyberpunk pen and paper RPG seems prophetic if turn your head sideways a bit https://chatgpt.com/share/684762cc-9024-800e-9460-d5da3236cd...

I think younger me would think the same. Its not even the AI slop or bad content but also the intrusive tracking, data collection, and the commercialization of interests. I just feel gross participating.

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