Recently, Firefox and many other software developers have been experimenting with AI and the various exciting new features it can provide. Some people seem to really enjoy them and benefit from them; I confess that I am not one of these people. I have investigated AI and determined that I have no interest in it. However, it keeps enabling itself all over the place, bringing with it a noticeable uptick in CPU usage, unwanted alterations to basic UI elements, and brand new, obtrusive pop-up windows.
AI features are frequently foisted upon us, often with little clarification of what they're meant to do or how to use them--or if they're even present in the first place. As someone who is decidedly cold towards AI, this has made me distrustful and somewhat paranoid. If I were more inclined to explore AI, I would not be in a good place to learn more.
I think it would lead to a more positive experience for everyone if AI features were something users could choose to opt into, instead of something people had to turn off if they don't want it. The people on lower-end hardware wouldn't have to worry about sudden performance degradation from technically demanding features, the people who are uninterested in AI could carry on using their software as usual without being constantly hassled about things they don't want, and the people who enjoy things like progress and shiny new AI tools could learn about them by keeping up with Mozilla's newsletters and taking the latest feature for a spin.
