Building AI the Firefox way: Shaping what’s next together

[Jolie]

Hi everyone,

We recently shared how we’re approaching AI in Firefox with user choice and openness at the center of everything we build. We’ve heard from many of you who’d prefer not to have AI in your browser at all, and we get it: We will soon provide additional settings for you to control how AI is used (or not) in Firefox.

Nonetheless, standing still while technology moves forward doesn’t benefit the web or the people who use it. That’s why we see it as our responsibility to shape how AI integrates into the web, in ways that promote openness, transparency, and choice. That way, users and developers can use it freely, help shape it, and truly benefit from it.

You’ve already seen this approach in some of our latest features:
💬 AI Chatbot in the sidebar – Access your preferred chat assistant without switching tabs.
📱 Shake to Summarize on iOS – Quickly summarize pages and stay focused on what matters.

Now we’re working on something new, and we’d love your input.

What is AI Window?

AI Window is an intelligent space we’re building that lets you chat with an AI assistant and get help while you browse, all on your terms.

✅ Completely opt-in: You decide if and when to use it.
🔄 Model flexibility: Pick the AI model that best fits your needs.
⚙️ Full control: Easily toggle it on or off anytime.

Help us shape the future

We’re still early in development and want your feedback. Starting today, you can sign up to receive updates.

[SaleenSundria]

This is, to put it simply, a huge mistake on the part of the Mozilla CEO. I would strongly suggest he turn from his current sentiments about AI, as many others have already said, he seems to have a fundamental misunderstanding of the Mozilla brand. People came here because they were tired of ai in everything else. Only for you to make a belated "hey we're doing ai now too!!" Statement? It just feels like you set a trap for ai haters and sprung it on them, to your own detriment. AI is not an industry standard, at this point it's just a fad. A very resource intensive fad.

As others have said, if I want AI in my browser, I would get Opera, which has its ai Aria, or Chrome with it's stupid Gemini, or Microsoft Edge with its crappy ass copilot junk. or, alternatively, I would get any one of these shiny new browsers that have popped up specifically because they made the ai first and wanted to do something with it. 

Firefox is our last bastion against this ai slop that's infecting everything, and you want to take that away from us too? How cruel. You know, when I was about to do something stupid just because everyone else did, my mom always asked me a particular question. "Are you gonna jump off a bridge just because everyone else is?" In this case, ai is the water under the bridge. And if you jump into this water, it will be no different than being dunked into industrial carcinogens. 

Please reconsider.

[kanindz]

This isn't "standing still while technology moves forward", this is taking a stand against unnecessary and problematic changes that a large percentage of consumers didn't ask for and do not want. I, like many others, have used Firefox (and other Mozilla services) because Mozilla did things differently than the other large companies, but with this change, I'll be finding an alternative that hasn't given in to what is nothing more than an environment-destroying fad. You're losing your consumer base, all for a bubble that is going to pop. 

[valentines]

I am so disappointed. Because of this announcement I have stopped using Firefox. I repeat: if you had not started putting AI where it doesn’t belong, I would still be using your product. 

[worst-idea-ever]

"Hello again. We here at Mozilla Firefox are here to haggle with you. Since none of you seem sold on the (quite frankly fantastic) idea of shooting yourselves square through the head alongside us, we have worked hard with our team to engineer a top-of-the-range, revolutionary countermeasure to our head-shooting gun: the safety mechanism. Why wasn't this safety mechanism already on the gun, you ask? And why don't we just put the gun down and stop trying to shoot ourselves in the head? Well, ask yourself this, User-Whom-We-Think-We-Can-Convince-Into-Shooting-Themself-In-The-Head-Anyway, why do you hate progress?"

[sane-person]

Why on earth would you want to do this? Haven't you lost enough users already?

[infinitegreeble]

This is such an ignorant take. There is no AI, there is LLM. It does not matter the sophistication of the model, there is no AI it is all algorithm. Those of us who still use Firefox use it mostly because we always have, and the reason for that is it gave us the most control over our internet experience. We do not need some LLM to help us search google, we can simply search google or whatever engine ourselves.

What is an "intelligent space"? Buzzwords, buzzwords, signifying nothing.

[username013708]

You sound like the wannabe entrepreneurs who learned python and then thought they could make the next Facebook. You're not going to steal users from Google by offering them what they already have. Even worse than that, you're alienating the people who currently use your browser. The main reason anyone uses Firefox is because it's an alternative to the crap that big tech is wants us all to use. Honestly, is the new CEO a saboteur? I'm already thinking of looking for a new browser.

[CrispyDuckShell]

A browser is a browser, if I wanted a useless chatbot that spits out 80% (being generous) of factually correct information I'd want it as an addon or I'd visit a webpage. Why are you chasing after trends that you think your userbase wants? Remove this feature entirely and move it to an addon that people can purchase if they want it, please don't force this shoddy nonsense down our throats, your developers deserve better than this, and for your dumb AI that you're likely going to use to compile results from this discussion, we don't want AI in a browser

[89bananas]

I think it is more beneficial for you to remain as a primary alternative for people who do not want AI in their browser AT ALL (not even as an "opt in").

Your userbase uses Firefox because it is an alternative to other browsers that are bloated with AI. People who don't see an issue with AI are people who will stick with using default browsers like safari, chrome, edge, etc. in the first place !!! We went out of our way to download your browser because you are a privacy focused ALTERNATIVE.

[soggytoast]

First the ads, then walking back the promise to not sell our data, and now this. 

We do not need personal AI assistants on our browser, and you people have to stop pretending we do. We do not need page summaries. If I want to use ChatGPT or Perplexity, I'll go to their pages.

I used to be a Firefox shill, but you are walking on thin ice right now, because you're so desperate for money. This AI stuff is all going to end up an excuse to collect our data and sell it. We're not stupid.

It's still time to rethink all of this. The ball is your court now.

[koritime]

Been a Firefox user for over a decade, and it's so disappointing to see the direction that Mozilla is moving towards. What this userbase wants is less AI and less integration.

I can easily see this going from AI options from being opt-in, to opt-out only (by default implemented), and then to being fully forcefully implemented. People that use Firefox like open source, not having things forced down our throat jesus

This is how to differentiate from your competition, stick with your basics, fast and lightweight browser with a strong user community and extensions!

[Silver1985]

You need to stop implementing this AI garbage that's ruining the planet. That includes as opt-ins. Stop chasing these stupid tech trends and listen to what people actually want.

People all over the world are sending a message loud and clear: we're tired of AI features being shoved down our throats, yes, even as 'optionals'. Go back to what made Firefox good, for the love of all that's good.

[PedroJose_00]

Not only Firefox, Mozilla should be against the AI Slop trend. If we wanted AI bloatware on our browsers we will be using Brave, Chome, Edge, Opera...

The intrusive use of AI is against the open web principles, chatbots spreading misinformation, stealing revenue from diaries, webs, blogs, artists, developers and many others, the web should be used as a tool to connect real people and store human writen information.

I've been using Firefox for over a decade, now I'm thinking if it is right choice for me.

[idontcare2]

If Firefox keeps adding these stupid ai "features" I will simply stop using it. Plain and simple. Do not think your service is irreplaceable by another. There are plenty of other web browsers on the market that aren't ruining their service with spyware and pathetic ai garbage, and I see no reason not to make the switch to one of them if this is the direction Firefox is headed. Let's face it, no one is using Firefox out of brand loyalty. If Firefox becomes a liability, those who use it will simply move somewhere else.

[corvidaemn]

"We heard that everybody hates AI in browsers, so to make everybody happier , we're putting AI in our browser----"

Stop it???? Literally the reason so many people LIKE firefox is that it doesn't follow these stupid trends. Leave AI. If people want it, it's baked into literally everything else. Gemini, phones, assistants, everywhere.

I don't need another rufus, alexa, gemini, galaxy, grok, gtp.

[SteveWithAQ]

Research shows use of AI actually decreases cognitive ability.

https://www.mdpi.com/2075-4698/15/1/6

https://static1.squarespace.com/static/64398599b0c21f1705fb8fb3/t/66c7e970ae81b81a53295abc/172437745...

https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/research/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/lee_2025_ai_critical_thinking_su...

https://arxiv.org/pdf/2506.08872v1

Why are you so eager to dumb down your users?

[roanaway]

Please stop adding AI to Firefox! I chose this browser and have stood by it because Firefox was a way to have a more enjoyable old internet feeling experience, but AI is not that. Generative AI is everything wrong with the tech industry. Please stop this.

[Meem55]

I know it's more a symbolic gesture, but after years I now did disable the automatic update of Firefox. All this just made me trust Mozilla not anymore.

[Apollo_01]

I myself work a lot with artificial intelligence, and it's not just hype and slop. But bringing AI into browsers is not only largely unnecessary, it's also dangerous. It's the best way to have your data stolen and your accounts hijacked. Studies and experiments have proven this.

The smartest thing for Mozilla to do would therefore be to create a browser that resists this trend. Or, if it has to, one that is completely modular. Those who want an AI-free browser can download Firefox. And those who want AI in it can download the relevant components separately. That's what a sensible opt-in feature would look like.

Because if I can disable AI, but all the corresponding modules are still in the browser, it's no less annoying or dangerous.

[jellyghost]

I'm switching browsers again, I trusted Firefox explicitly because there was no AI integration and no plans to follow it, this is a huge breach of that trust and throws away a lot of the good will this user base has for something that should be functional and reliable--AI compromises all of that. 

[OMally]

"...standing still while technology moves forward doesn’t benefit the web or the people who use it."
Ooh! A not so subtle insult there to those of us who are unhappy with this development; not the best stategy for communicating with your customers.
And I am far from convinced this is genuine progress, rather than a bunch of tech-bros trying to make everyone purchase and play with their newest shiny toy.
You have a unique product that a lot of us have used and trusted right from the start. Making it just like every other browser out there is going to lose you a lot of customers. I guess you're banking on a lot of us who are unhappy not bothering to move on, and a lot of people who are happy with their present AI integrated browser suddenly deciding to switch and choose you. Seems like a big risk. There are other browsers out there offering what you used to and I will be switching if this goes forward.
I've been using the web since the 1990's without any AI assistance, and I'm getting sick of having AI shoved in my face, like I've suddenly forgotten how to read, write or conduct research.
I don't need AI, I don't want AI. In fact, I'm hoping the AI bubble bursts quickly and we can all get back to something approaching normal before the damage to the economy and the environment becomes too great. 
Very disappointed to see Mozilla jumping on the AI bandwagon.

[MrBeefgnaw]

Right? Taking a stand against genAI crap isn't "standing still while everyone moves forward," it's "standing still while everyone charges towards a 200-foot sheer cliff with big pointy rocks at the bottom." Sometimes standing still actually is the smart thing to do.

[Justume]

Wowzzzy!!! ABSO-LUTELY!! 

[owallstromer]

Why? Why are you doing this? The overall reception to your LLM endeavours has been overwhelmingly negative, because the people using firefox are the kind of people who care about things like privacy and a free internet. But you just keep pushing it regardless. You will not win any new customers by doing this, the people who love their planet-destroying chatbots won't switch to firefox when they already have what they want in edge or chrome. You will lose users to forks and projects that promise to be completely AI free.

And in a year or two, when the whole market crashes because it's just a few behemoths shuffling billions between each other in a wacky pyramid scheme while they hope that reality won't catch on until an actually worthwhile and profitable use for LLMs somehow magically manifests itself (sorry, but that won't happen), will it feel like it was worth it to ruin your reputation and your product by infesting it with thieving, spying slop machines? And if it somehow miraculously doesn't cause the market crash of the century, will you feel the least bit guilty when you drive past the humongous data centers stealing and poisoning the water and driving up people's electricity bills to unmanageable costs? 

You are willingly adding features your users don't want, that uses and promotes technology that is objectively harmful both to society and to the environment at large and the (often overhyped) capabilities it does have, it got from scraping everyone's data and paying or even asking absolutely no one for the work.  Why? It makes absolutely no sense. 

You talk about these features being "completely opt-in", but that is not true, is it? I've had to opt-out of several AI features you have added to the browser already. You mean that it will be opt-out, but how can I trust that it won't do **bleep** in the background anyhow? How can I trust that the companies behind these horrible, unethical LLMs won't try to spy and scrape my stuff? They are developed and owned by people who have showed over and over again that they do not care about anything but their own bottom line. Half of them are openly techno-fascist and most of them are utter buffoons. Have you seen that clip of Sam Altman talking about building a freaking Dyson sphere in just a few decades to keep up with the energy demands? Or when he said he uses chat-gpt as a parenting aid? I don't want software built according to his demands anywhere near my computer. I wouldn't trust him with a toaster. 

Lets go over it one more time, shall we?

You want to embed functions running on software developed by ultra-rich right-wing extremists that was unethically built, is a constant source of desinformation and is actively destroying the internet and the planet?

Why? 

[pissboy1995]

i'm looking into waterfox and other AI free alternatives right now. i am so disappointed with this company, the reason i jumped ship from chromium browsers was to get away from the AI integration, i don't care if i can toggle it on or off or not, i don't want it.

[Chira]

I have been a firefox user for over 2 decades. I will be discontinuing Firefox due to commitment to AI inclusion.

[Justume]

I've used FF for decades but having a look behind the possible trajectory in builds - I have moved to Brave browser as my main and after setting it up (fantastic browser BTW) I will delete FF from Mint. I won't stick around as Firefox becomes a Windows 11 AI spyware/we own you - fiasco. I moved to Linux in the last 3 weeks to escape Microsoft's abuse and there are few MS 'fanboys' left at all to defend them. 

[Relembla]

Genuinely, are you people illiterate? Stupid maybe? There are almost 1000 replies from your userbase, the people that give you the worth you have telling you that if you move forward with AI, you will use the majority, if not the ENTIRETY of your userbase. If you go through with this, you will kill your own browser. Suck it up, put the AI **bleep** in the back burner, and learn how to read. Nobody wants to get flooded with garbage programs telling you what to believe while being entirely inaccurate. Nobody wants their feeds flooded with AI generated responses or images. We will find somewhere else to go no matter how much you beg and plead for us to stay. Bankruptcy is not only a possibility but an inevitability if you go through with this. 

[PushoverMC]

The new CEO Anthony Enzor-DeMeo doesn't care about Firefox, he's a talking head business exec who doesn't know the first thing about what Firefox stands for and what its users want. He doesn't know or care about internet browsers, he only knows "business", and "business" tells him that AI is hot right now, so clearly that's what Firefox needs. He has no commitment to Firefox or its values, he's just doing "business" for a paycheck, Firefox would be better off without him.

[Buddhist-Zoolog]

Saying you offer choice doesn’t change the fact that many of us simply don’t want AI integrated at all. This move is the wrong direction for Firefox.