Firefox to Add AI Kill Switch that Turns Off All AI Features

Mozilla is preparing to introduce a number of AI controls in Firefox that will give users the ability to block or manage generative AI features inside the browser.

The change comes after the company faced criticism in recent months over a couple of unpopular decisions regarding its AI management in the future.

AI pressure meets trust

AI integration has taken over the tech industry, and Internet browsers are affected by this wave, so much so that it almost feels like a requirement for modern browsers. At the same time, it has also triggered resistance from users who associate AI features with data collection, or who simply don’t need the features they promise.

Mozilla has not been immune – just recently, Firefox users criticized the company over changes that affected its long-standing privacy-first stance.

In December 2025. Mozilla's new CEO said that AI is the future of Firefox, and users were not happy. Now, though, they are trying to infuse agency into the process by adding a so-called AI kill switch.

What Firefox AI controls do

The new AI controls work as a hub for all AI-powered browser features. Instead of enabling AI by default, Firefox promises to expose these features explicitly:

At launch, Firefox 148 (February 24) AI controls cover the following features:

• Page translations, which convert websites into the user’s preferred language
• AI-generated alt text in PDFs, intended to improve accessibility
• AI-powered tab grouping, which suggests related tabs and group names
• Link previews, which summarize key points before a page loads
• Sidebar AI chatbots, with integrations for ChatGPT, Claude, Microsoft Copilot, Google Gemini, and Le Chat Mistral

Blocking AI completely

Firefox also includes a global “Block AI enhancements” toggle that disables all existing AI features and prevents future AI functionality from appearing.

It’s also worth noting that other browsers include some options to disable various AI features. For example, Brave has a toggle that blocks Microsoft Recall from working in the browser.

FAQ: Firefox AI controls

Are AI features enabled by default in Firefox 148?
Firefox exposes AI features through a dedicated controls panel, allowing users to enable or block them explicitly.

Can users disable all AI features at once?
Yes. The “Block AI enhancements” toggle disables all current AI features.

Do AI settings persist after browser updates?
Yes. Firefox retains AI preferences across updates.

Does Firefox use third-party AI providers?
Yes. Firefox supports multiple chatbot providers, including ChatGPT, Claude, Microsoft Copilot, Google Gemini and Le Chat Mistral.