Firefox will soon let you block all of its generative AI features

Firefox is preparing to accommodate users who prefer an AI-free browsing experience. On Monday, Mozilla announced that Firefox will soon allow users to block all existing and future generative AI features within the browser. In addition to a complete opt-out, users can turn off specific AI tools while continuing to use others, based on their preferences.

Beginning with Firefox 148, which is scheduled to roll out on February 24, users will see a new “AI controls” section added to the desktop browser’s settings menu. This section is designed to give users more precise, direct control over how—or whether—AI features appear in their browsing experience.

For those who do not want any AI functionality at all, Firefox will include a “Block AI enhancements” toggle. When this option is enabled, users will no longer see prompts, pop-ups, or reminders related to current or future AI features built into the browser.

The new AI controls will also allow users to manage individual AI features separately. These include “Translations,” which lets users browse websites in their preferred language; automatic alt text generation for PDFs; AI-powered tab grouping; link previews; and Firefox’s AI chatbot in the sidebar. The sidebar chatbot allows users to interact with their chosen AI service while browsing, including tools such as Anthropic’s Claude, OpenAI’s ChatGPT, Microsoft Copilot, Google Gemini, and Le Chat Mistral.

“AI is changing the web, and people want very different things from it,” Mozilla said in a blog post announcing the update. “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.”

The announcement follows Mozilla’s appointment of Anthony Enzor-DeMeo as CEO in December. At the time, Enzor-DeMeo said Mozilla would continue investing in AI and introducing AI features to Firefox, but emphasised that these tools would remain optional rather than mandatory.

“AI should always be a choice — something people can easily turn off,” Enzor-DeMeo wrote in a blog post. “People should know why a feature works the way it does and what value they get from it.”

His comments come as Mozilla works to adapt to a rapidly shifting browser landscape. While browsers such as Google Chrome and Firefox dominated the market for years, they are now facing renewed competition from newer players, including Perplexity, Arc, OpenAI, and Opera.

Even as Mozilla continues to invest in AI capabilities, the organisation says it is placing a strong emphasis on transparency. According to a CNBC report, Mozilla President Mark Surman recently said he is building “a rebel alliance of sorts” comprising startups, developers, and public-interest technologists focused on making AI more trustworthy and counterbalancing the growing influence of major AI companies.

CNBC also reported that Mozilla plans to deploy approximately $1.4 billion from its reserves to support technology companies and nonprofit organisations, including Mozilla’s own initiatives. These investments aim to promote transparency in AI development and push back against companies expanding at unprecedented speeds with limited oversight.