you can disable it in the BIOS. It's a CPU feature meant for sysadmins, it's not like it enables access for intel. (although it could.. in theory).
what's your issue with AMT? (also, not all chips have it).
Edit: Also, apparently at least some version allow remote provisioning of AMT with no user intervention even with it disabled in the BIOS. You need an expensive SSL certificate, but that'd be no obstacle for attackers like Hacking Team or the NSA. See http://people.kth.se/~maguire/DEGREE-PROJECT-REPORTS/100402-...
Call me paranoid if you want, but I think the recent Windows 10 privacy debacle shows that even if you disable something, doesn't mean it's actually disabled.
> "what's your issue with AMT? (also, not all chips have it)."
My issue with AMT is one of security. I don't believe there won't be an exploit in the future, it's not out of the question, some versions of it have already been exploited:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intel_Active_Management_Techno...
AMT has full remote access to your computer, beyond OS control or visibility, and can be utilised even when the computer is in a powered off state (still needs to be connected to a power source and connected to a network of course). The risks are huge! I'd rather choose a competitor that doesn't have it.
Which Intel CPUs don't have AMT?
which does not have it
but my laptops both have it.. :\