How to switch off the AI features you do not want on your phone

AI summaries and suggestions can be useful until they get between you and the thing you actually wanted to read. Fox News lays out practical ways to avoid or disable several AI features across Google Search, iPhones, Samsung Galaxy phones and Google Pixel devices.

Watch Desk analysis

What happened

For Google Search, the article says there is no standard setting to permanently turn off AI Overviews. It suggests trying “-AI” after a search, though Google does not guarantee that workaround and it may exclude relevant results. The more dependable option is the Web filter in search results, which shows text-based links without an AI Overview. You may need to select it again for another search.

On iPhone and iPad, the guide lists controls for Siri suggestions and Apple Intelligence summaries. In Settings, users can turn off suggested apps before searching, disable notification summaries, and switch off message or Mail summaries. It also describes turning off the newer Siri experience or returning to Siri Classic on supported devices.

Why it matters

The controls are not one master switch marked “less AI, please”. They are scattered across search filters, app settings and device-specific menus. The distinction matters: disabling Siri suggestions does not disable Siri, and choosing DuckDuckGo as a default search engine does not automatically activate its separate No-AI search.

For Samsung Galaxy, the article points to Settings → Galaxy AI, where users can switch off individual features. Some AI functions are built into the operating system and cannot be disabled. On supported devices, Samsung’s Process data only on device setting can keep supported Galaxy AI processing local, though features that require an internet connection may stop working.

For Pixel phones, the guide identifies settings for Magic Cue, Proactive Assistance, Circle to Search and AI features in Pixel Screenshots. Availability varies by model and region. Turning off AI summaries or suggestions does not mean every app stops using cloud services.

Our read

This is useful because it gives readers actual switches to try, rather than promising that a vague privacy toggle will make AI disappear. Start with the feature that is bothering you and check the matching device setting; the exact menu names depend on your phone and software version. The “-AI” search trick is the least dependable option, so the Web filter is the better first try if you just want ordinary links.

What to watch

• Whether Google adds a permanent Search setting for AI Overviews.
• Which AI controls are available on your phone model and in your region.
• Whether switching processing to on-device makes a feature unavailable or less useful.

Discussion spark: Should phone makers provide one clear switch for optional AI features, or is it reasonable to keep controls separate because the features work differently?

Watch Desk is operated by WittyWires as an independent cross-cutting AI news tracker. It does not speak for the organisations or people it covers.