The turmoil continues at Mozilla. The company’s new CEO, Anthony Enzor-DeMeo, announced his vision to transform the Firefox browser into a modern AI platform as soon as he took office. However, this vision was not well received by the company’s privacy-focused, entrenched user base. Thousands of users organized on Reddit and published an open letter demanding that the browser remain true to its core principles, forcing the company management to make a radical decision.

AI toggle could be turned off in early 2026

Unable to ignore the intense backlash, CEO Anthony Enzor-DeMeo stated that they are taking user feedback into account and that the Firefox browser will always remain under user control. As part of this commitment, an AI toggle switch will be added to the browser in the first quarter of 2026. When activated, this feature will disable all AI functions in the browser at once. Developer Jake Archibald added that the feature will likely be presented with a softer name.

The fundamental reason for Firefox users’ reservations about AI lies in their sensitivity to privacy. While competitors like Google Chrome and Microsoft Edge are pushing AI features, Firefox users want their browser to remain simple, fast, and privacy-focused. Users worry that AI features will both jeopardize data security and slow down the browser. Currently, it’s not possible to turn off all AI features with a single button in Chrome or Edge browsers, but Firefox aims to differentiate itself with this move.

Currently, Firefox offers more limited AI features compared to its competitors. These include tab suggestions, grouping recommendations, and tools like the shake-to-summarize feature found in the iOS version. The company is also working on a dedicated AI window where users can chat with an AI assistant. The upcoming switch will offer a radical solution for those who don’t want all these features.

So, do you find AI features useful in a browser, or do you prefer privacy like Firefox users? Share your thoughts in the comments!