JAKARTA - While many technology companies are incorporating AI into various services, Mozilla is taking a different path. Firefox provides a button to turn off AI features. For Mozilla, user choice is more important than just going with the flow.
Citing a report by CNET, Saturday, June 13, Mozilla CEO Anthony Enzor-DeMeo said the feature was accelerated after the Firefox community raised objections to AI in the browser.
"Our community was pretty vocal, especially when the CEO announced, that not everyone wanted AI," Enzor-DeMeo told CNET. The feature was actually already on the development map, but its launch was accelerated due to user feedback.
The AI-off button is now available in desktop and mobile versions of Firefox. However, users who actually turn off all new AI features are about 1 percent. Another 3 percent only turn off some features.
According to Enzor-DeMeo, some users still need certain AI features, such as translation. Therefore, the main difference of Firefox is not to reject AI, but to give options.
He compared Firefox's move to Microsoft's move to make Copilot a built-in when users search for something on the Windows desktop. He also alluded to Google installing a large AI model on users' computers without prior notice.
"There is a general feeling from users: I didn't ask for it and I didn't choose it," he said.
Mozilla is also preparing Smart Window, a beta feature that allows users to choose which AI model they want to use in Firefox, including ChatGPT, Gemini, or other models. Smart Window works via a side panel in the browser.
"If you want to use ChatGPT, go ahead. If you want to use Gemini, go ahead," said Enzor-DeMeo. "Each excels at different things. Why should you be forced to choose one?"
Mozilla says conversations in Smart Window are not used to train AI models. The system also filters sensitive and personal data. Users can choose what data the AI can remember, delete it, or turn off the AI's memory completely.
Enzor-DeMeo said the issue of AI is not just about features. There are issues of access and privacy. According to the data he quoted, about 83 percent of the world's population has never used AI. In the United States, only about 3 percent of users pay for AI services.
He also said that AI is currently "mostly unprofitable" and predicted that more advertising will be added to AI services.
If AI becomes the main gateway to accessing the internet, said Enzor-DeMeo, there is a risk that the internet will become more closed. Because, AI requires a lot of user data to work optimally.
"That's the harsh reality," said Enzor-DeMeo. Therefore, Mozilla emphasizes user active consent.
To strengthen privacy, Firefox also launched a free VPN within the browser. A VPN is a service that helps disguise the location and encrypt the user's internet activity. However, browser-based VPNs generally only protect activity in that browser, not all applications on the device.
According to CNET, the Firefox VPN has recorded 1.5 million registrations and around 800,000 active users. Mozilla also offers an Unlimited VPN package from June 9 to August 31, with virtual location options.
Firefox is also preparing a major update through Project Nova, which will still use the Firefox name when it is released later this year. According to CNET, Mozilla says page load times are now up to 9 percent faster. Firefox has about 200 million monthly users, but its market share is estimated at just over 2 percent, well below Chrome and Safari.
The new version of Firefox is scheduled to arrive around September or October. One of its new AI features is tab groups, a feature that automatically groups similar tabs to make them easier to find.
In addition to AI, the new Firefox will bring a compact mode, a more rounded display of panels and menus, light effects on active tabs, and accessibility features.
"What we're trying to do is keep the web open, secure, and competition fair," said Enzor-DeMeo. "Our goal is not to be the biggest browser, but to keep the internet a level playing field."
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