New Update Mozilla’s New CEO Says Firefox Will ‘Evolve into an AI Browser’

[Spiff]

Firefox currently has a built-in AI feature (that's why I'm testing some forks). You can disable it via About:config, but it will still be available in the context menu, so if you accidentally click on the "Ask AI" item, it will open out of nowhere. The problem with AI in Firefox is that it is a process that consumes a lot of processor resources.

The "Ask an AI Chatbot" option in the Firefox context menu can be disabled in about:config by setting browser.ml.chat.menu as false.

 

[stonjean633]

Firefox going downhill. I hope not as it's one of my fave of all time.

 

[lokamoka820]

Does its peer in Edge (copilot) consume resources even if disabled in settings?

Microsoft Edge (Copilot) uses fewer resources and delivers better results.

 

[lokamoka820]

The "Ask an AI Chatbot" option in the Firefox context menu can be disabled in about:config by setting browser.ml.chat.menu as false.

I used Betterfox's user.js profile, so I thought it would disable as many unnecessary programs as possible, thanks.

 

[Marko :)]

Firefox currently has a built-in AI feature (that's why I'm testing some forks). You can disable it via About:config, but it will still be available in the context menu, so if you accidentally click on the "Ask AI" item, it will open out of nowhere. The problem with AI in Firefox is that it is a process that consumes a lot of processor resources.

After disabling feature with about:config, it shouldn't be present in the context menu. At least is isn't on my installation; just normal Google search is present.

 

[enaph]

Devastating news for the two people still using Firefox

 

[Marko :)]

Microsoft Edge (Copilot) uses fewer resources and delivers better results.

Does it though? Copilot app runs like sh!t on my gaming laptop. I ask it something and it freezes for a few seconds until Copilot compiles entire answer.

Devastating news for the two people still using Firefox

I see people joke about Firefox marketshare, but it's worth to note that on a lot of websites Firefox pretends to be Chrome in order to make websites work in it. No seriously, lazy developers develop websites for Chrome only and despite the website working in Firefox too, they'll just slap Firefox users with message they are using incompatible web browser and should download Chrome instead. If you change user-agent, 95% of these websites perform great and sometimes even better than in Chrome.

For this reason, these marketshare stats might be flawed, at least for Firefox.

 

[lokamoka820]

After disabling feature with about:config, it shouldn't be present in the context menu. At least is isn't on my installation; just normal Google search is present.

I think I will try to understand what I need from Betterfox and implement it myself using about:config.

Does it though? Copilot app runs like sh!t on my gaming laptop. I ask it something and it freezes for a few seconds until Copilot compiles entire answer.

Yes, I know, but what I mean is comparing Copilot on Firefox to Copilot on Microsoft Edge. For example, when I try to summarize an article on Firefox, CPU consumption increases significantly, the fan runs at full speed, and eventually, the message "The page is too large to be summarized" appears, while on Edge, it is summarized without any increase in CPU consumption.

 

[Sampei.Nihira]

I used Betterfox's user.js profile, so I thought it would disable as many unnecessary programs as possible, thanks.

Unfortunately, it does not disable everything that can cause problems, or anything that could cause incompatibility issues on websites, such as Insecure Chiper Suites.

 

[Marko :)]

I think I will try to understand what I need from Betterfox and implement it myself using about:config.

Yes, I know, but what I mean is comparing Copilot on Firefox to Copilot on Microsoft Edge. For example, when I try to summarize an article on Firefox, CPU consumption increases significantly, the fan runs at full speed, and eventually, the message "The page is too large to be summarized" appears, while on Edge, it is summarized without any increase in CPU consumption.

That's weird; I don't have same issues on Firefox.

 

[SpiderWeb]

I guess you can delay the AI apocalypse by switching to the ESR channel.

 

[lokamoka820]

UPDATE:

After the controversial news shared earlier this week by Mozilla’s new CEO that Firefox will evolve into “a modern AI browser,” the company now revealed it is working on an AI kill switch for the open-source web browser.

What was not made clear is that Firefox will also ship with an AI kill switch that will let users completely disable all the AI features that are included in Firefox. Mozilla shared this important update earlier today to make it clear to everyone that Firefox will still be a trusted web browser.

“Something that hasn’t been made clear: Firefox will have an option to completely disable all AI features. We’ve been calling it the AI kill switch internally. I’m sure it’ll ship with a less murderous name, but that’s how seriously and absolutely we’re taking this,” said Firefox developer Jake Archibald on Mastodon.

In addition, Jake Archibald said that all the AI features that are or will be included in Firefox will also be opt-in. “I think there are some grey areas in what ‘opt-in’ means to different people (e.g. is a new toolbar button opt-in?), but the kill switch will absolutely remove all that stuff, and never show it in future. That’s unambiguous.“

Firefox Will Ship with an "AI Kill Switch" to Completely Disable all AI Features - 9to5Linux

Mozilla is working on an AI kill switch for the Firefox open-source web browser to let users completely disable all AI features.

9to5linux.com

 

[Sorrento]

I may be one of the last that still gets by without Ai, I've lived over 6 decades without it & still find I can live without it, am I alone here? It does have its uses but I still am capable of working things out, I'm no Luddite too, & I as others use Ai, each day often without knowing, but I'm intent of keeping it in its place, (enter alleged actions by king Canute) I still feel Ai is one of the best things we have done along with the potential (is) of the greatest mistake together concurrently.

 

[Sampei.Nihira]

I may be one of the last that still gets by without Ai, I've lived over 6 decades without it & still find I can live without it, am I alone here? It does have its uses but I still am capable of working things out, I'm no Luddite too, & I as others use Ai, each day often without knowing, but I'm intent of keeping it in its place, (enter alleged actions by king Canute) I still feel Ai is one of the best things we have done along with the potential (is) of the greatest mistake together concurrently.

Yes, I also prefer AI to be in its place.
Not to have it available in a “forced” way.

 

[Parkinsond]

I've lived over 6 decades without it & still find I can live without it

Long live, Sorrento

 

[Sorrento]

As I use LibreWolf, I'm not sure how they are going to adapt to these proposed changes even if its possible? I also use the chrome based Brave, which for me is a perfectish combination at least today - The other issue in life is coffee prices are rising exponentially that is of great concern for me exceeding almost all else

 

[Zero Knowledge]

Yeah LibreFox will be interesting, how or if they can disable it will be another issue. I also agree Brave is also the best Chromium browser, no adds on YT even today!

 

[oldschool]

As I use LibreWolf, I'm not sure how they are going to adapt to these proposed changes even if its possible?

I'm fairly certain they'll disable it when shipped, like many other pre-configured features, i.e. some enabled and some disabled.

 

[Zero Knowledge]

I'm fairly certain they'll disable it when shipped, like many other pre-configured features, i.e. some enabled and some disabled.

The problem is one day it can't be removed and users are forced to use the A.I. feature.

Like MV3, developers said we wont implement it but then they do because there is no choice and the option to remove it goes away.

 

[LinuxFan58]

We need Mozilla to survive for the sake of comptition. Without it we just have Chrome and no one wants to see a world with 100% only Chrome.

Yes, but Google also needs Firefox to survive.

Is not that the reason why Google pays Mozilla (for Google search) to keep the US Federal Trade Commission and the EU Fair Trade Commission of its back?

I have read (don't have the source anymore) that only a small percentage of Firefox users keep Google search as default.