Firefox Just Unveiled The Only AI Setting Every Browser Needs

The current internet browser landscape offers AI-centric browsers (like Perplexity Comet and ChatGPT Atlas) as well as traditional browsers that are getting generative AI features whether you like it or not (like Google Chrome and Microsoft Edge). Firefox is also part of that second category, as Mozilla has been adding AI features to its browser. However, Mozilla is doing something different with its AI features; it's placing a universal off switch in the Firefox settings that lets you block all AI features in the browser with a single click.

The "Block AI enhancements" toggle, coming in the Firefox 148 update later this month, will do exactly what the name implies: block all AI features in Firefox. Additionally, the feature will prevent pop-ups about AI features from appearing. Mozilla said in a blog post that it received feedback from "many who want nothing to do with AI," and that's why it's implementing the universal AI toggle.

Users can also pick and choose which AI features to enable and which to block in Firefox. They'll have separate toggles for five AI-enhanced features in Mozilla, including Translations, Alt text in PDFs, AI-enhanced tab grouping, Link previews, and AI chatbot in the sidebar. The last option may be especially interesting to some users who want to use specific AI tools when browsing the web, as it will let them utilize their favorite chatbot as a companion when using Firefox. The list of supported chatbots includes ChatGPT, Gemini, Claude, Copilot, and Mistral.

Even without toggles to enable or disable AI features in Firefox, the AI enhancements are optional. Mozilla won't force users to use any AI tools while they're browsing the web with Firefox. Also, these features use on-device AI rather than sending user data to the cloud. That may be a better AI-enhanced internet browsing experience than using a product that processes user data in the cloud. That said, Mozilla's initiative to include an AI kill switch in the Firefox settings is something other browser makers should implement for the peace of mind of users who don't like AI and are concerned about the haste with which companies like Google and Microsoft add AI features to their products. 

Google in particular has been moving at lightning speed. A few days ago, the company unveiled new Gemini-powered features for Chrome that may change the way you browse the internet. Chrome will let you chat with Gemini in the browser, and you can task the AI to auto browse the web for you to complete tasks. These features are also optional, but Google hasn't introduced anything like Firefox's "Block AI enhancements" toggle.

Since Chrome is the world's most used internet browser, it could benefit from a similar button. That said, Chrome users can disable Gemini in Chrome, assuming they have access to AI features in their region. Finally, Microsoft Edge gives Copilot prominent placement in the Edge browser's toolbar, but the browser doesn't have an AI kill switch like Firefox. You can remove Copilot from the toolbar if you go into the browser's settings.