Mozilla Details its New Controls for Blocking AI Features in Firefox

Mozilla will soon deliver on its promise to introduce an AI “kill switch” on Firefox. The new option to block all AI features is coming soon to Firefox Nightly builds, and it will become available for all users on February 24 with the release of Firefox version 148.

“AI is changing the web, and people want very different things from it. 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,” Mozilla said today.

Firefox already offers various AI features, including access to the AI chatbot of your choice in the Firefox sidebar. At launch, the option to block AI features will disable chatbots in the sidebar, plus all on-device AI features for translating web pages, intelligently grouping tabs, showing key points in link previews, and adding accessibility descriptions to images in PDF pages.

When it’s turned on, this new AI kill switch will also block all pop-ups or reminders about AI features in Firefox. However, users will still be able to turn features on and off individually. “Once you set your AI preferences in Firefox, they stay in place across updates,” the team also said.

Mozilla announced in November a new “AI Window” feature that will let users access their preferred AI chatbots and agents in a dedicated space. It’s currently available for select users via a waitlist, and it will be completely opt-in. While Mozilla has no choice but to keep investing in AI features for people who want them, Firefox users who prefer having an AI-free browser will still be able to get that.