Many Mac users who have recently updated their devices to macOS 27 are noticing a significant and unexpected drop in their available storage. The culprit appears to be Apple Intelligence, specifically the AI models that run directly on the device.
Apple Intelligence Models Taking Up Space
While some Apple Intelligence features leverage cloud-based processing via Private Cloud Compute, many core functionalities rely on AI models stored locally on your Mac's solid-state drive (SSD). These models, such as the 3-billion-parameter AFM 3 Core and the more advanced multimodal AFM 3 Core Advanced, require considerable space.
Reports from users on platforms like Reddit and Hacker News suggest these AI-related files can consume 10 gigabytes or even more. On a Mac with limited storage, such as a 256GB model, this can represent a substantial portion of the available space, leading to noticeable performance impacts and storage warnings.
Why You Might Not See Them
The challenge for users is that macOS manages these AI resources as 'system assets'. This means they do not appear under a distinct 'Apple Intelligence' category in your storage breakdown. Instead, their footprint contributes to the 'System Data' section, which can grow mysteriously large after the update, making it difficult to pinpoint the exact cause of the storage drain.
How to Check Your Mac's Storage
To view your current storage allocation and identify if 'System Data' has increased, navigate to:
- Click the Apple menu in the top-left corner.
- Select System Settings.
- Go to General.
- Click Storage.
Allow macOS some time to calculate and display the detailed breakdown of your storage usage.
Managing Apple Intelligence Storage
If you find that your Mac's storage is heavily impacted by these hidden AI files and you don't regularly use Apple Intelligence features, there is an option to disable them. This can be done by going to:
- System Settings > Apple Intelligence & Siri > Apple Intelligence > Off.
- You can also disable Siri AI from the same menu.
Important Note: While disabling Apple Intelligence may prevent further usage of these models, it does not guarantee that the downloaded files will be immediately removed. macOS manages these system assets, and they may persist for some time. Furthermore, experts strongly advise against manually deleting files from macOS system folders, as this can lead to system instability or cause macOS to re-download the files later.
If storage issues persist, other factors like local Time Machine snapshots could be consuming space and can be investigated using Disk Utility.