(Credit: Mozilla)
Mozilla is offering a first look at its AI browser kill switch.
These "AI controls" will launch in Firefox version 148, which is slated to roll out on Feb. 24, Mozilla said today. The controls basically function as on-off toggles and will be available through the desktop browser settings. The most powerful option is “Block AI Enhancements,” which will shut down current and future AI-powered features, as well as pop-ups about them.
If the nuclear option is too much, Mozilla says you can "cherry-pick" the AI features you want to use. The individual features include the AI chatbot in the sidebar, key points in link previews, AI-enhanced tab grouping, and translations. Features can also be turned back on at any time.
The company is previewing the kill switch after Mozilla’s new CEO, Anthony Enzor-DeMeo, faced backlash in December over plans to evolve Firefox into a “modern AI browser.” Despite the tech industry’s focus on generative AI, some consumers remain resistant, citing concerns over software bloat, AI-induced errors, and the usefulness of such features.
In response, Enzor-DeMeo said his company was serious about creating a kill switch to appeal to users weary of AI-focused products. “Rest assured, Firefox will always remain a browser built around user control,” he told users on Reddit.
Still, an official developer account for Firefox previously indicated that all AI features would be opt-in. The AI controls that debuted on Monday seemed to suggest that all users will be automatically enrolled, requiring them to manually opt out. But Mozilla is denying this.
"Firefox is not automatically enrolling users into AI features or changing default behavior. AI features will continue to be opt-in," the company told PCMag. "By default, the AI features available in Firefox 148 are visible in the interface, but they require user opt-in before they can be used. AI models are downloaded only when a user opts in and uses a specific feature for the first time."
The company has created an exception for an accessibility feature in the Firefox PDF viewer, which can generate image alt text for screen reader users. "This feature is enabled in a very specific context, where a user adds an image to a PDF in the Firefox PDF editor, at which point the model is downloaded and alt text is generated. Unlike other AI features, it does not require a separate user opt-in, but it can still be enabled or blocked through the same AI controls," Mozilla said.
The company’s blog post adds: "We believe choice is more important than ever as AI becomes a part of people’s browsing experiences. What matters to us is giving people control, no matter how they feel about AI."