Firefox is giving users the AI off switch

Firefox is giving users an AI off switch, with Mozilla adding an AI Controls area in Firefox settings and a one-click option to disable generative AI features. The new controls centre on a master switch, “Block AI enhancements,” enabling users to run Firefox without AI and to hide prompts advertising AI features. Once set, preferences persist across updates, and users can adjust them at any time.

Starting with Firefox 148, which rolls out on 24 February, the AI controls section appears in the desktop browser settings, allowing both a global off switch and more granular control. At launch, you can manage translations, Alt text in PDFs, AI-enhanced tab grouping, link previews and an AI chatbot in the sidebar, with chat options including Anthropic Claude, ChatGPT, Microsoft Copilot, Google Gemini and Le Chat Mistral. According to Mozilla, this move aims to give users more choice over AI features while acknowledging differing user needs.