Dead AI chatbots cluttering your browser shouldn’t be permanent residents, yet most companies treat unwanted features like squatters with lifetime leases. Mozilla just broke that pattern. Firefox 148, launching February 24, 2026, will include a comprehensive “Block AI enhancements” toggle that disables every current and future generative AI feature with one click. Your browsing experience stays exactly how you want it, even after updates.
Complete Control Over AI Features
The toggle system offers both nuclear option and surgical precision for managing AI tools.
Mozilla’s approach splits into two camps: the “Block AI enhancements” sledgehammer and individual feature scalpels. The blanket toggle nukes everything—chatbot sidebar access (supporting Anthropic Claude, ChatGPT, Microsoft Copilot, Google Gemini, and Le Chat Mistral), webpage translation, AI-generated alt text for PDFs, smart tab grouping, and link previews. Flip it once, and future AI additions get blocked automatically. No surprise re-enabling after updates, no sneaky opt-ins buried in settings menus.
Alternatively, you can manage the five AI features individually. Want webpage translation but hate chatbot sidebars? Keep one, ditch the other. Firefox head Ajit Varma explained the reasoning: “We’ve heard from many who want nothing to do with AI. We’ve also heard from others who want AI tools that are genuinely useful. Listening to our community, alongside our ongoing commitment to offer choice, led us to build AI controls.”
Setting a New Industry Standard
Mozilla’s user choice approach contrasts sharply with competitors’ take-it-or-leave-it strategies.
This move directly responds to December 2025’s user revolt when CEO Anthony Enzor-DeMeo announced Firefox would “evolve into a modern AI browser.” The backlash was swift and brutal—longtime users threatened migration to competitors, despite those browsers having even more aggressive AI integration. Chrome and Edge embed AI features with minimal opt-out options, assuming users want productivity tools whether requested or not.
Mozilla’s compromise attempts to thread an impossible needle: satisfy users who want cutting-edge features while preserving Firefox’s identity as the privacy-conscious alternative. The company is essentially betting that comprehensive user control can differentiate Firefox in a market where every browser now includes AI assistants by default.
Firefox 148’s approach might pressure competitors to implement similar granular controls, though Google and Microsoft have shown little interest in extensive AI opt-outs. For users tired of companies forcing AI into every interface like unwanted seasoning on restaurant meals, Mozilla’s commitment to actual choice feels revolutionary—even if it shouldn’t be.
