Mozilla has moved quickly to reassure users after criticism erupted over plans to introduce AI features into Firefox.
The backlash followed a December 16 post by Mozilla’s new CEO Anthony Enzor-DeMeo, who said Firefox would evolve into a “modern AI browser” while aligning with the Mozilla Manifesto. Although AI was only one part of a broader strategy, many long time users saw it as a threat to Firefox’s identity.
Concerns centered on privacy, software bloat, and the fear that Firefox would begin copying competitors rather than offering a clear alternative.
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A real AI kill switch is coming
Responding directly to community concerns on Reddit, Enzor-DeMeo emphasized that Firefox will remain focused on user control.
He confirmed Mozilla is building a complete AI kill switch that will allow users to turn off all AI features entirely.
“Firefox will always remain a browser built around user control,” he wrote. “That includes AI. You will have a clear way to turn AI features off. A real kill switch is coming in Q1 of 2026.”
He added that giving users meaningful choice is essential to maintaining trust.
AI features will remain opt in
Further clarification came the following day from Jake Archibald, Mozilla’s Web Developer Relations Lead, who posted on Mastodon.
Archibald stressed that all AI features in Firefox will be opt in by default. He also confirmed the kill switch will permanently remove AI features from the browser interface and prevent them from appearing again.
“Firefox will have an option to completely disable all AI features,” he wrote. “The kill switch will absolutely remove all that stuff, and never show it in future.”
This reassurance was aimed at users worried that AI would become unavoidable or deeply embedded in core browser functions.
Why Firefox users are especially sensitive to AI
Firefox occupies a unique position in the browser market. It is one of the few major browsers not built on Google’s Chromium engine and has built its reputation on privacy, transparency, and user autonomy.
Many Firefox users actively choose it to avoid aggressive data collection and trend driven features. As a result, Mozilla’s mention of AI triggered stronger reactions than it might have elsewhere.
Some users fear AI features could increase tracking risks, consume system resources, or blur lines around content ownership and creative work.
Mozilla’s commitment to a full AI opt out appears designed to preserve Firefox’s appeal to those users while still allowing experimentation for others.
