Firefox will start supporting those who don't want artificial intelligence in their browser. Mozilla on Monday announced that Firefox will soon allow users to block all current and future generative AI features. Users will also have the option to disable certain AI features in Firefox while retaining others.
Starting with Firefox 148, which will be available on February 24, users will find a new AI controls section in their desktop browser settings.
People who don't want access to any AI features in Firefox can turn on the “Block AI enhancements” toggle. When this setting is enabled, they won't see pop-ups or reminders to use existing or upcoming AI features.
New AI controls will also allow users to individually manage AI features. These features include “Translations” that let you browse the web in your preferred language, alternative text in PDF files, AI-powered tab grouping, link previews, and a Firefox AI chatbot in the sidebar that lets you use your chatbot of choice while browsing, including services like Anthropic Claude, ChatGPT, Microsoft Copilot, Google Gemini, and Le Chat Mistral.
“Artificial intelligence is changing the web, and people want completely different things from it,” the company wrote in a blog post. “We've heard from many people who want nothing to do with AI. We've also heard from others who want truly useful AI tools. Listening to our community, combined with our ongoing commitment to offering choice, led us to build AI-powered control.”
The announcement comes as Mozilla named Anthony Enzor-DeMeo as its CEO in December. Enzor-DeMeo said at the time that Mozilla would invest in artificial intelligence and would add AI features to Firefox, but the company would make these features optional.
“Artificial intelligence should always be a choice – something people can easily turn off. People should know why a feature works the way it does and what value they get from it,” he wrote in blog entry.
Enzor-DeMeo's comments come as Mozilla struggles to adapt to the rapidly changing browser market. While browsers like Firefox and Google Chrome have dominated the browser space for over a decade, they face renewed competition from companies like Perplexity, Arc, OpenAI and Opera.
While Mozilla plans to invest in new AI features, it is also focused on transparency. She informed CNBC last week, Mozilla CEO Mark Surman said he was building “a rebel alliance of sorts” made up of tech startups, developers and public interest technologists committed to increasing the credibility of artificial intelligence and testing the power of players like OpenAI and Anthropic.
Mozilla will use about $1.4 billion in reserves to support tech companies and nonprofits, including CNBC's own reporting. The company is making investments that promote AI transparency and make it harder for companies to grow at historic speeds with limited oversight.
