I-Firefox Community Forum

I have been unable to find an email address, so I am turning to this forum to express my disgust at the incoming CEO's comments, namely "Firefox will remain our anchor. It will evolve into a modern AI browser and support a portfolio of new and trusted software additions."

Firefox's appeal as an alternative to Edge, Chrome, etc. is its respect for user privacy and control. Adopting AI tools into the browser itself is a betrayal of that respect, and will eliminate Firefox's advantages over rival browsers. If users want an AI browser, they already have that option. They want, instead, a browser that allows then to control their own experience and data. I beg the Mozilla foundation to actually do some research into your own market so you will learn that people hate LLM slop in their internet browsing.

Adopting AI tools will damage Mozilla's reputation as an organization worthy of respect. What's more, it will contribute to the further erosion of trust in information on the internet that AI has caused, because *LLMs lie and steal*. This is more than just a market mistake, this is an ethical mistake.

There is still time to change course. Do not follow Chrome and Edge into AI delusion.

I know some underpayed tech or a volunteer who's not getting paid at all is going to read this and not the CEO but my hope is I'm not only one complaining and that if enough people complain your new CEO will realize that the reason most people who use Firefox do is because it's the browser that respects their privacy and security the most. Adding "AI" slop into it will only contribute to bloat and privacy loss, and a lot of people will likely move on to another browser thats faster, more reliable, and less insecure. Don't try to compete with Chrome by becoming Chrome please.

Hi, I've noticed that web pages load slower recently. As all of the recent updates seem to be about adding AI features to the browser, I can only assume that this is the problem. I have disabled the .ml. settings and saw an improvement in performance, but performance is still degrading over time as new updates release, so I'm guessing that I missed something in the settings.

I'm also concerned about privacy. As these AI features make use of tools that cannot always be run completely locally, it increases vulnerability to provide very little value, if any at all. I would argue that it makes the browser worse rather than better, so that's not worth any level of risk to me.

If these features continue to be expanded then I will look for an alternative browser. I know that it is tough to find browsers which aren't Chromium-based these days, but it's not impossible. Firefox is not the only choice.

Firefox is already a product that works and is probably the best alternative to any of the other major browsers out there. It's a product that I've been happy to use for many, many years. So why is it being ruined by this needless push to add in "AI"? I don't want it. I don't want any part of it to touch my experience using this browser. I want either an easy way to completely turn it off so it can't suck up my data and expose my private information, or not have it be included at all. I will actively be looking for alternative browsers if these plans continue.

Saying "you can turn off the AI" is NOT enough, Mozilla. Nothing is ever "turned off" unless it's completely removed. This is Microsoft's playbook BS; "but you can turn it off", but for some reason the system is always using a metric ton of memory, lagging and whatnot. You, of all companies, should know this and be better than that. Nothing good is ever force-installed and impossible to remove. Unless you all make it installed completely separately so people like me, who are a significant part, if not most of your user base, can not install it, nothing short of a full renunciation of the CEO will suffice to make we trust you again.

"Internet for People, not profit" is seeming more and more like blatant false advertising every day.

i was tired of chromium browsers being an absolute mess so i switched to firefox. now it seems firefox is headed the same way, very disappointing but sadly unsurprising. i guess i'll have to find a new one to use

So, as I’m sure everyone has heard by now, the new CEO wants to make Firefox an “AI browser”. As a long time user, I think I speak for a lot of us when I say WE DON’T WANT THIS. In fact, the reason many of us were here is that Firefox was pretty much the last major browser not to give in to using generative AI for everything. I hope the CEO backtracks on this, or Firefox is going to lose a TON of users and money. Let’s go over the facts.

- Generative AI uses an unsustainable amount of energy and water, and AI data centers are responsible for a lot of air pollution. - AI tools are frequently incorrect, and lead to misinformation being spread. - Data is frequently scraped for AI training without user permission, and leaks are very common. This goes completely against Mozilla’s commitment to privacy, which was one of the big reasons I started using Firefox to begin with.

This announcement is very disappointing, and the CEO really needs to reconsider. Keep Firefox secure. Keep “AI” LLMs OUT.

I switched from chrome to firefox earlier this year because I was TIRED of google chrome and its horrific privacy and security. I'm extremely disappointed to hear that your new CEO wants to further integrate AI into Firefox. If this course is not reversed, I WILL be uninstalling Firefox. I will also encourage all of my friends (whom I just convinced to switch from chrome with me) to switch as well.

I have dealt with the shortcomings of Firefox because it does not integrate AI.

If Firefox is also going to integrate AI, there is absolutely no reason for me to continue using it.

If you choose to start blasting ai everywhere I will look to switch away as needed.

I use Firefox because it has been the only option where at the very least I can opt out of this ai slop bullshit. Because it is the only place not feeling my data through a dipshit filter right into Microsoft and Google's ad services.

Don't make me have to drop you.

Please don't fucking add more AI bullshit into the browser version of firefox im begging. I swtiched to firefox instead of chrome because you guys had LESS issues but now you're adding MORE issues. I'm gonna switch to something else if you do this. AI is not gonna help you in the long run. Bye.

the only reason ive been using firefox is because its one of the few browsers that doesnt use AI. now this? anthony enzor-demeo what in the hell is wrong with you? no one wants this, stop pushing AI in a browser we all use SPECIFICALLY to avoid other browsers' (like chrome) sell out. i dont care if there's opt out I don't want this to be an option in the first place, and I know a lot of others feel the same.

i am not the kind of person who has brand loyalty, and if you continue with this I'll find something else to use.

I don't know if it's the right topic (well I guess all are very near the main issue) but I will give it a go - what's wrong with NOT HAVING AI driven browser? I was advocating for you guys for many years, using your browser and supporting your stuff because of the privacy and totally diff approach to browsing case. Yet here we are and you absolutely obliterated your own image in my eyes... AI? For real? Without a QUESTION AT START TO KILL IT IMMEDIATELY IF YOU DON'T WANT TO SEE THIS NONSENSE?

I am very sad, because I have already found an alternative and I will be saying good bye to you. It's... Been a long time, I have never betrayed you yet you... Nevermind, it's just sad that I have to go to other solutions because you can't keep your legs together...

I don't expect to get any response from you, I just wanted to share my sad thoughts and a fact that not only me but a massive amount of my dev friends have already staredt using other browsers (there are things that work better in other browsers) to make things done.

Nevertheless it was a good time. I wish you all Merry Christmas and we will remember you for a long time for so many good things.

Bye, Lucas

I am an IT proofessional in a large city. As such, I make sure people have Firefox installed and use it. I tell everyone that it is the best browser with the highest security and it's not beholden to corporate BS.

I want to let you know that if you shoehorn AI into Firefox, I will uninstall it from every computer in the city. Artificial Intelligence as it is now is a security risk, a HUGE waste of energy, and also wrong somewhere around 50% of the time. I already have to disable and uninstall microsoft AI crap because it eats resources like fire burning through a forest. Why is this what you want Firefox to become?

You are shooting yourselves in the foot with this. I don't care how much money you've invested on its development, drop it now. You're already the browser with the absolute smallest market share in the industry. Why would you ensure that NO ONE uses the one thing you actually do? Or do you think going AI-first will somehow push you ahead in the game?

Read the room, man. No end user wants AI. The only reason it's used at all is because it is in EVERYTHING. No one can get away from it. People use it by accident and corporate bigwigs call that a win. And it really is crammed into everything, too. At least once a week I have to find some new little AI toy to disable so someone's computer doesn't tell them to jump off a bridge or something.

I am pleading with you to stop.

You really don't need to answer this thread. There's just no way to privately send a message to Firefox for someone to read. I hope you pass this along.

I am seriously concerned about the upcoming use of AI in Mozilla Firefox. The only reason I use Firefox is because it is one of the few remaining widely compatible browsers that allow me to switch off any AI features. Generative AI is needlessly wasteful and absolutely pointless. Is there any way to prevent this from being forcibly added to Firefox?

Having heard the news that Firefox's latest CEO wants to turn it into yet another AI-slop browser, I came to this forum to give feedback as an avid Firefox user over the last 4-5 years. I can see I'm not alone either; there are tons of other users who seem to feel the same way I do.

This is a very, VERY bad decision. So far, every "AI update" that has already hit Firefox has done nothing but make the browser worse and more inefficient. A few months ago, Mozilla was getting hit by complaints from desktop users about memory usage skyrocketing due to the implementation of an AI chatbot into Firefox. Now they've added AI search engines among other things. And surprise, surprise--no one seems to actually want to use these features. Why should we, if all it does is make computers run slower, overheat, and doesn't actually answer any useful questions or contribute anything meaningful?

I'm baffled at Mr. Enzor-DeMeo saying he wants to go all-in on making Firefox an "AI browser" with his whole chest in the SAME week that Microsoft has had to lower their growth targets for AI-related sales, some of them up to 50%, because NO ONE seems to actually be buying AI products. You know, on account of (you guessed it) not finding them very useful.

Other people have already mentioned the myriad of other problems with AI too, so I won't touch on those too much, other than to agree that AI is a plagiarism machine that's doing serious environmental damage. What I WILL say is that I personally have been using Firefox all this time specifically because it's avoided the AI craze as much as other browsers, or at the very least, avoided making it "opt-out" instead of "opt-in" to the same degree. But if this changes in the near future and Firefox does become yet another inefficient AI slopfest of a browser, I may seriously rethink my loyalty to Firefox and switch back to Chrome instead. After all, there would be functionally no difference between the two browsers anyway!

Please rethink this decision and consider actually listening to user feedback going forward. If Mozilla actually wants to retain their userbase, I'm sure I'm not the only person thinking about dropping Firefox for Chrome in the future.

Is there any way I can prevent Mozilla from installing/enabling more AI features on my Firefox browser in the future?

I do not want AI running on my machine. I do not want AI integration in my browser. I understand I will still run into AI in the wilds of the internet, but I especially do not want these features enabled ON MY OWN MACHINE in an update without me specifically opting into them. Installing and enabling this without user opt-in communicates clear disrespect to the users.

I did a cursory search here for similar questions and Mozilla staff appear to be stating there will be no AI in Firefox unless the user specifically enables it, and it is as simple as disabling them via settings if "accidentally" enabled. This was not my experience, and it is alarming to see false information provided to users .

I have found other sources indicating the following must be set to false in about:config in order to disable browser-side AI/AI integration: browser.ml.chat.enabled browser.ml.chat.page.footerBadge browser.ml.chat.page.menuBadge browser.ml.chat.shortcuts browser.ml.chat.shortcuts.custom browser.ml.chat.sidebar browser.ml.checkForMemory browser.ml.enable browser.ml.linkPreview.shift

Is that all of them, will these disable ALL of the AI in Firefox?

Are there any other settings I need to set to false to ensure no AI is either running on my machine or the browser is not integrating AI functionality from third parties?

Is there any way to ensure Mozilla doesn't force AI features to be enabled without my say-so (again)?

Are there any privacy-minded browsers comparable to Firefox that DO respect their users with regards to forcing AI on them? It may be time to jump ship.

I've been using Firefox for 20 years. I love it for the accessibility, the ability to control what I want and how I use it without a bunch of shady corporations peering over my shoulder. But if this new CEO decides to force AI into it, just like every other business and browser out there, I'm done. I'm going to move on to Librewolf or something similar. I am so sick of everyone and their mother deciding we all need generative AI in our lives, forcing it down our throats even when a person takes a clear stance that they have no interest in it. I'm not interested in it. I want to do my own writing, and my own searching, and make my own decisions, thank you very much. Adding in a bunch of AI crap now means Firefox will no longer stand out from the rest of the big-name browsers. You'll be just like everyone else.

I realise any privacy or user control statements made by Mozilla are really a farce. One, there's no meaningful way to protect user privacy these days, not on the web. Trying would be a more accurate term. Two, the CEO is in control of the product design and he's banking on customer loyalty, betting on an outcome where people will just continue to use the product regardless of how bad the new AI features are or how much they contradict the company's supposed ethos. And it'll probably work for a spell, but here's the thing: free clones of Firefox already exist, and customer loyalty only goes so far. It won't be terribly convenient, but if I continue to see Mozilla adopt AI in its updates, I'll just switch over to something else.