We know exactly how you feel. When a user on Reddit recently asked how to disable "copilot suggestions" that appear when right-clicking in a sheet, they weren't just asking about a setting. They were voicing a frustration many of us share: the sense that AI features are being pushed into our workflows whether we want them or not. Our opinion is plain: this is a failure of design, not a failure of the user. If someone has to search a forum for a basic control toggle, the tool has already lost their trust.
What this means in practical terms is that control is the real missing feature. The user checked File > Options, found nothing, and turned to a community thread for help. That's not how a confident, human-centered tool should work. AI assistance should feel like an invitation, not an interruption. When it appears uninvited in a context menu, a space built for deliberate actions, it communicates that the software values its own features over the user's intent. The solution isn't harder to find because the feature is complex; it's harder to find because the product team didn't prioritize making it accessible. That's a choice, not a technical limitation.
We believe the bar is higher. A future-focused spreadsheet tool should let you discover AI capabilities on your own terms, with clear settings that are where you expect them. If a feature is meant to empower you, it should never make you feel like you're wrestling with the interface to get back to work. The Reddit user's frustration signals that many users are ready for smarter tools, but only when those tools respect their agency. The solution is straightforward: put the off switch next to the on switch, and put both where people naturally look.
The lesson here applies beyond any single version number. If you're building or choosing an AI-native spreadsheet, ask whether the user can say no as easily as they can say yes. A tool that hides its controls is a tool that treats you as a passenger. A tool that puts you in charge, from the first right-click, earns the right to help you explore what's next.