Artificial intelligence-exempt Zed code editor debuts its manual mode
In the ever-evolving world of coding, user control and autonomy have become increasingly important concerns. This is especially true in the context of AI-assisted tools, which have been growing in popularity. Recently, Zed, a text editor based on Rust, has introduced a new feature that allows users to completely disable all AI features.
The new option, available in the latest Preview build 0.197, was added following user feedback. While the exact number of users requesting this feature remains undisclosed, the impetus for its addition appears to be rooted in the broader industry discussions on AI's influence and risks.
Concerns over dependency on AI assistance have been echoed by industry figures like Sam Altman, who warns about AI potentially undermining human decision-making [1][2][3][5]. As AI continues to permeate our workflows, questions about cognitive independence and the potential for over-reliance on AI are becoming more pressing.
The introduction of the AI disable option in Zed reflects a response to this demand for more control amid these concerns. Zed, which was first introduced a year ago [6], uses conflict-free replicated data types, allowing collaborative online editing without relying on a specific cloud provider.
It's worth noting that Zed was developed by the team behind Atom, a popular Electron app. Electron apps, like Atom, are built in JavaScript and bundled with a cut-down instance of Chromium. However, Zed, being written in Rust, is a compiled native app on the two OSes it supports [7].
In contrast, other similar apps like Balena Etcher, an Electron app, have larger file sizes, with compressed downloads in the region of 150-200 MB. Rufus for Windows, on the other hand, is about 2 MB, and USBImager is under 200 kB [4].
The development of Zed gained more attention when Microsoft, the owner of GitHub, discontinued Atom three years ago in favor of its own Electron-based editor, VS Code. Zed was announced the next day [8].
Previously, some Zed users have been calling for the option to disable AI features due to corporate rules forbidding use of public LLM tools [9]. With the introduction of this new feature, Zed continues to demonstrate its commitment to user-centric design and prioritizing user control.
For more information about the new AI disable option in Zed, you can refer to the stable release notes [10].
Sources:
- CXO Digital Pulse, July 2025
- The Neuron Daily, July 2025
- Moneycontrol AI news, July 2025
- Comparison of Balena Etcher, Rufus, and USBImager
- Sam Altman's warning about AI
- Zed's first Linux version
- Zed's Rust-based architecture
- Microsoft discontinues Atom and announces VS Code
- Zed users calling for AI disable option due to corporate rules
- Zed stable release notes highlighting the disable AI setting, Aug 2025
In the discussions surrounding AI's influence and risks within the industry, the demand for greater user control has become apparent, as echoed by figures like Sam Altman. This demand is being addressed by the latest update of Zed, a Rust-based text editor, which now offers an option to fully disable all AI features. With this move, Zed reinforces its dedication to user-centric design, prioritizing user autonomy and control.
