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Firefox will start supporting those who don’t want AI in their browser. Monday, Mozilla he announced that Firefox will soon allow users to disable all the latest AI tools. Users will also have the option to disable some AI features in Firefox, and keep others on.
Starting with Firefox 148, which launches on February 24, users will get a new AI control feature within the desktop browser’s settings.
People who don’t want to get any AI features from Firefox can turn on the “Disable AI extensions” switch. When this setting is turned on, they will not see prompts or reminders to use upcoming or upcoming AI tools.
The new AI controls will also allow users to control AI features individually. These include “Translations,” which allow you to browse the web in your preferred language, Alt text in PDFs, AI-generated tab groups, link previews, and Firefox’s AI chatbots in the sidebar, which allow you to use the chatbot of your choice while browsing, including services such as Anthropic Claude, ChatGPT, Google Gemini Copil, Microsoft Copil, and Letter.
“AI is changing the Internet, and people want very different things from it,” the company wrote in a blog post. “We’ve heard from many who don’t want anything to do with AI. We’ve also heard from others who want AI tools that are actually useful. Listening to our community, along with our continued commitment to providing choice, led us to create AI controls.”
The announcement comes as Mozilla chose Anthony Enzor-DeMeo as CEO in December. Enzor-DeMeo said at the time that Mozilla will invest in AI and will add AI features to Firefox, but the company will make these options optional.
“AI should always be optional – something that humans can easily turn off.” People need to know why the product works the way it does and what benefits they get from it. blog post.
Enzor-DeMeo’s comments come as Mozilla struggles to adapt to the rapidly changing browser market. Although browsers like Firefox and Google Chrome have dominated the browser space for more than a decade, they are facing renewed competition from companies like Perplexity, Arc, OpenAI, and Opera.
While Mozilla plans to invest in new AI products, it also focuses on transparency. CNBC reported last week when Mozilla president Mark Surman said he was forming a “coalition of gangs” made up of startups, developers, and enthusiasts committed to making AI more reliable and focusing on the strengths of players like OpenAI and Anthropic.
Mozilla will donate $1.4 billion to tech businesses and nonprofits, including its own, CNBC reports. The company is targeting investments that encourage exposure to AI and are holding back against fast-growing companies with little oversight.
