Firefox Will Let Users Shut Off AI With New Toggle

In a move that’s sending ripples through the tech community, Mozilla Firefox has rolled out a new browser update that promises to revolutionize the way users interact with AI features. The latest iteration of the popular browser grants users unprecedented control over their AI experience, allowing them to disable AI features at will.

Firefox adding a off switch for AI

Mozilla Firefox is introducing a game-changer – an “off switch” for AI features.

The update, arriving on February 24th, will incorporate an AI control feature within the browser’s settings menu. The new AI control option in Firefox’s settings menu lets users disable or enable AI features like the built-in chatbot, translations, and AI tab suggestions.

Over the past year, Firefox has intensified its focus on artificial intelligence, introducing features such as “shake to summarize” for iPhone users, which provides AI-generated summaries of online content. Additionally, the organisation is developing an AI Window, an opt-in browsing experience leveraging AI assistance and chatbot functionality to facilitate web searches.

According to Mozilla CEO Anthony Enzor-DeMeo, the company recognises an opportunity for a reputable AI browser from a technology company that has earned the trust of users. In December, DeMeo had pledged a way to disable AI features following user concerns over Firefox’s AI integration, calling it an AI “kill switch”.

“Choice matters and demonstrating our commitment to choice is how we build and maintain trust,” read Enzor-DeMeo’s statement.

As promised, the AI “kill switch” is arriving for Firefox browsers. The feature will allow users to disable all current and future AI features, with granular controls to manage specific uses, such as AI-generated alt text for PDF images and key points in link previews.

“AI is changing the web, and people want very different things from it,” said Ajit Varma, Firefox’s vice president of product. “We’ve heard from many who want nothing to do with AI. We’ve also heard from others who want AI tools that are genuinely useful. Listening to our community, alongside our ongoing commitment to offer choice, led us to build AI controls.”

Originally reported by Sibanee Gogoi on Mandatory.