I don’t mind using AI services once in a while, but I dislike it when companies try to shove these services everywhere, even though no one asked for them. Case in point: Microsoft Copilot, which is built into Windows. When I bought my Windows 11 license, it wasn’t on my PC, but at some point, the company snuck it, and a host of AI features, onto my PC.

Microsoft has actually walked back this Copilot takeover, however, following pushback from users. The company has started removing “unnecessary” Copilot features from Windows, which is a step in the right direction. However, it’s far from perfect, especially for anyone hoping for an AI off switch. If you’re annoyed by all these AI features too, you don’t have to deal with it. There are two methods you can try to remove Copilot from your PC, depending on your OS:

Use Group Policy Editor to disable Copilot

With the April 2026 Windows update, Microsoft began shipping a way to disable Copilot via its Group Policy Editor. This was first reported by the German blog Desk Modder, which also notes that this option may not appear for everyone. It shows up if you have Windows 11 Pro or higher, both the Microsoft 365 Copilot and standard Copilot apps, and if you didn’t install the Copilot app on your PC yourself. The option won’t appear if you launched Copilot anytime in the past 28 days. If you’re not sure whether or not you qualify, check the steps below to see if the option appears for you.

Press Win-R on your keyboard, type “gpedit.msc,” and hit Enter. This will open the Group Policy Editor. Now, you can navigate to Local Computer Policy > User Configuration > Administrative Templates > Windows Components > Windows AI (also spotted by Desk Modder). Double-click the option labeled Remove Microsoft Copilot App, and set it to Enabled. Click OK, and Windows will remove Copilot from your PC.

You can also turn off Copilot without removing the app using the Group Policy Editor. Go to Local Computer Policy > User Configuration > Administrative Templates > Windows Components > Windows Copilot, and double-click Turn off Windows Copilot. Set it to Enabled, click OK, and you’re done.

Use a third-party script to remove all AI services from Windows

If these group policy entries are unavailable on your PC, you can also try a script that removes all AI features from Windows—including Copilot. You’ll need to go to the GitHub page of RemoveWindowsAI, and copy the command listed under “How to use.” (As this script may change, I won’t list it here. Check the GitHub page directly for the most up-to-date script.) Once you copy the command, open Powershell on your PC, paste the command, and run it. You’ll have the option to choose which AI services you want to kill, including Copilot, but also features like Recall. The script will automatically remove Copilot from every possible app on your PC, and you’ll be free of Microsoft’s AI push for good (or at least until the company decides to shove it into more apps).

This should work on any version of Windows 11, though the developer, zoicware, warns that some anti-virus programs may block the script if they mistakenly detect it as malware. You should always exercise caution before running scripts from the internet, even GitHub, but you can review this script’s documentation here for more details.

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Sony is well known for its excellent headphones, but the company also makes some excellent speakers. One of its latest rugged portable speakers is the ULT Field 5, which launched in the spring of 2025 along with the ULT Field 3 and ULT Tower 9. This speaker falls between the ULT Field 3 and the ULT Field 7 in price and features, hitting the sweet spot of portability and power.

It’s my pick for the best midrange speaker released last year, and you can currently pick one up for $198, more than 40% off the original $349.99 price—a near-record low for this speaker, according to price-tracking tools.

The ULT Field 5 is a bass-heavy portable speaker that’s a great option for those who value long battery life and portability, as noted in PCMag’s “excellent” review. It comes with a ten-band EQ, an honest-to-god woofer (surprising, given its portable size), a ULT mode that boosts the base, an IP67 rating (meaning it is waterproof, dustproof, shockproof, and rustproof), and the ability to connect to other speakers through Party Connect.

With the ULT Power on, you can expect 25 hours of battery life. Blasting it at full volume will drain the battery much faster, though, giving you around five hours of juice. A quick 10-minute charge gets you two hours of listening time, which is a welcome feature in a portable speaker. It uses the Sound Connect app, where you can see the battery life, control the EQ, connect to other Sony devices, and use the DJ Control feature, which lets you add sound effects to your music.

This speaker is designed for parties, the outdoors, and larger rooms. It comes with a shoulder strap that you can hook into the speaker for easy carrying, adding to its portability.

(Kerrville, TX, May 27, 2026) – The United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Agricultural Research Service (ARS) opened the Knipling-Bushland U.S. Livestock Insects Research Laboratory, a state-of-the-art laboratory facility today that will provide the U.S. cattle industry with innovative tools and advanced technologies to manage and eliminate the invasive fly and tick pests that threaten the U.S. cattle industry.