An open-source tool lets you delete 12GB of Apple Intelligence data on macOS

You can reclaim up to 35GB of storage on your Mac by removing Apple's AI models, which are no longer easily disabled.

A new open-source command-line tool named RemoveMacAI has been developed to allow macOS users to disable and delete Apple Intelligence features and their associated large language models. Previously, users could disable these features with a simple setting, but this option was removed in macOS Sonoma. Now, even when features are turned off, the AI models remain on the user's disk, consuming approximately 12GB of storage. RemoveMacAI automates the process of finding and disabling various AI-related settings, including those hidden within Screen Time, and then deletes the foundation models. The tool also prevents macOS from re-downloading these models and claims its changes persist across OS updates. A revert command is available to re-enable the features and download the models again. Some users have reported that Apple Intelligence data can occupy significantly more than 12GB on their Macs.

The emergence of RemoveMacAI highlights a growing user demand for granular control over on-device AI features, especially concerning storage space and privacy. Apple's decision to remove the simple toggle for disabling AI, while embedding these large models deeply within the OS, suggests a strategic push towards wider adoption of its AI capabilities, potentially at the expense of user choice and storage management. This tool's existence points to a potential market for third-party utilities that address perceived shortcomings in OS-level control for increasingly complex, integrated features.

As Apple continues to build out its AI ecosystem, tools like RemoveMacAI could signal a future where users actively manage or even opt-out of specific AI functionalities that consume significant resources. This may prompt Apple to reconsider its approach to user control and transparency regarding on-device AI, or potentially lead to further development of OS features that cater to both integration and user preference. Developers and users concerned about storage or feature bloat will be watching to see if Apple responds to this workaround.