📰 AI News: Firefox Adds An “AI Kill Switch” So You Stay In Control
📝 TL;DR Starting with Firefox 148, Mozilla is adding a dedicated AI Controls panel that lets you turn off all current and future AI features in one click, or pick and choose the ones you want. This is the first mainstream browser that makes AI truly optional, not something quietly forced into your workflow. 🧠 Overview AI is creeping into every browser and app, often in ways users do not really notice until things feel noisy or invasive. Mozilla has heard the pushback and is taking a different route, shipping a central AI Controls section in Firefox that includes a master “Block AI enhancements” switch plus granular toggles for each AI feature. It is a clear positioning play, yes, Firefox is becoming a “modern AI browser,” but only for people who actually want that. Everyone else gets a clean, AI free experience by default if they choose. 📜 The Announcement From Firefox 148 on February 24, desktop users will see a new AI Controls section in Settings. From that single screen, you can: - Hit one switch to block all AI “enhancements” now and in the future - Or selectively turn off things like the sidebar chatbot, AI translations, AI tab grouping, alt text generation for PDFs, and AI powered link previews Mozilla is framing this as a response to user feedback, especially from people who said they wanted “nothing to do with AI” in their browser, alongside others who do want useful AI but on their own terms. ⚙️ How It Works • Central AI Controls page - Firefox 148 adds a dedicated AI Controls section in Settings so you can see every AI feature in one place instead of hunting through multiple menus. • Master “Block AI enhancements” toggle - Turn this on to disable all existing AI features and prevent new ones from being surfaced or suggested in future releases. • Per feature toggles - If you like some AI but not all, you can turn off specific tools such as the sidebar chatbot, AI based translations, tab grouping suggestions, link previews, or PDF alt text.