Adding Chatbot Providers via HTML

[chrisbward]

Hi,

I've recently updated Firefox and noticed that chatbot providers can now be added - great feature!

As you already know, it’s currently possible to add a local or custom chatbot provider via 'about:config'. However, I believe there’s a major opportunity being missed: websites should be able to suggest themselves as chatbot providers directly to users - similar to how OpenSearch allows websites to offer search engine integration.

Instead of requiring manual configuration, Firefox could support something like a `<link rel="ai-provider">` tag or a structured manifest (e.g., JSON in `.well-known/`) that describes a chatbot endpoint, name, icon, and supported methods. When a user visits a site, Firefox could then prompt them to add that assistant - just like it does with search engines.

This would significantly lower the barrier for smaller developers and platforms to participate in the growing AI space. More importantly, it would help prevent the kind of monopolistic control we’ve already seen with search, where just a few players dominate the entire ecosystem. If Firefox can lead the way in making chatbot integration open, accessible, and decentralized, it would be a powerful statement - and a practical win for users.

Thanks for considering this.

Chris

[Jon]

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