Mozilla says Firefox will evolve into an AI browser, and nobody is happy about it — “I’ve never seen a company so astoundingly out of touch”

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Mozilla recently appointed Anthony Enzor-DeMeo as its new CEO, and under his direction, Firefox will transform into an AI-powered browser within the next three years. Importantly, Mozilla recognizes that users should have control over AI features and will offer an option to disable them.

According to Enzor-Demeo, all of our products should empower users with control over how they function. This means being upfront and easy to understand about privacy, data usage, and how AI is used. Controls need to be straightforward, and people should always have the option to disable AI features. Looking ahead, Firefox will expand beyond just a browser to become a complete suite of trustworthy software, with Firefox itself remaining central and evolving into a next-generation, AI-powered browser. We plan to add new, reliable software options to this ecosystem.

Despite assurances that AI features will be optional, many online users are unhappy with Mozilla’s decision to prioritize them. People are expressing their disappointment, with one X post – which has already received over 380,000 views – stating that this shows a disconnect between management and its users.

One user commented that they’ve never seen a company so disconnected from its users, explaining that many people are switching to Firefox to avoid the increasing focus on AI in browsers like Edge, Chrome, Opera, and Brave over the past year.

As a researcher, I’ve been monitoring social media conversations, and it’s clear that most people aren’t thrilled with Mozilla’s current focus on AI. The overwhelming sentiment is that they’d prefer Mozilla to dedicate its efforts and resources to other projects instead.

One user responded to Mozilla’s announcement by saying they don’t want Firefox to become an AI-focused browser, warning that it could drive them to use other browsers instead.

Mozilla isn’t alone in facing criticism for its recent AI announcements. Microsoft also received strong negative reactions when it revealed plans to transform Windows into an ‘agentic OS.’ The backlash was significant enough that a Microsoft executive had to publicly respond, assuring users that the company would prioritize other improvements alongside AI features.

Mozilla seems to understand the negative reaction to recent AI developments, and they’ve emphasized that any AI features added to Firefox will be optional. However, many users believe these companies shouldn’t be creating AI features in the first place, leading to disappointment with Mozilla’s announcement.

Okay, so now even Mozilla is adding AI features to Firefox. That’s a bit of a bummer for those of us who *really* want a browser that doesn’t have any AI stuff built in. It looks like if you’re serious about avoiding AI in your browser, you’ll probably have to dig around for some of the less well-known options out there.

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2025-12-17 03:39