There's a repeated claim that because some organizations won't allow generative AI installations, they also won't buy new Macs running macOS Golden Gate. The reasoning goes that Apple removed the setting to turn off Apple Intelligence, so organizations that refuse AI cannot use the new operating system at all.
AppleInsider spoke off the record with several IT managers and buyers to test the claim. The truth is that individuals can remove Apple Intelligence, though not especially easily. Corporations, however, can disable it entirely and remotely with a single click. Organizations deploy devices through Mobile Device Management (MDM) systems such as Jamf, which control updates and decide what software is allowed on each device.
An IT manager at a Fortune 500 company with an office in Metro DC said the company can use Jamf to turn off Apple Intelligence and block third-party AI apps. He added that most of Apple's tools are not a security threat, and that Writing Tools are fine. A second Fortune 500 IT manager in the Austin, TX area said that without MDM, an organization has no control over what gets installed, and that existing tools are sufficient to handle Apple Intelligence.
A military IT manager said there is no real threat from Apple Intelligence. As of October 2026, there are no DOD prohibitions on purchasing new Apple hardware for secure facilities because of it, though some uses still require third-party removal of Wi-Fi chips. A fourth IT manager at a large Department of Defense contractor dismissed the concern, citing the many controls already in place on Apple hardware and software.
Source: AppleInsider · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing