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ZDNET Highlights
- Mozilla’s new CEO announced that AI is the future of Firefox.
- There’s no indication how embedded AI will be in the browser.
- I hope the Linux community will not welcome this change.
Let’s cut to the chase: No, AI won’t save Firefox or Mozilla.
Now let’s go back a little.
Mozilla has a new CEO, Anthony Enzor-DeMeo, who has assured the world that changes are coming to the Firefox web browser. Firefox will remain the cornerstone of the organization, but it will evolve into an AI browser.
Also: Firefox has fixed my biggest gripe with web browsers – and others should copy it ASAP
Enzor-DeMeo also said in a The Verge InterviewThat it will not block ad blockers in Firefox because doing so would go against the company’s mission of protecting user rights and offering user choice. Additionally, he noted that blocking ad blockers could generate an estimated $150 million in additional revenue. Just imagine the reaction from the Firefox community.
But back to AI.
AI-focused browsers are popping up everywhere. Like Microsoft, Brave, Opera, and many others, Perplexity also has one. People are starting to get excited about the idea of incorporating AI into their browsers. according to a Market.us report“The global AI browser market size is expected to be approximately USD $76.8 billion by 2034 from USD $4.5 billion in 2024, growing at a CAGR of 32.8% during the forecast period from 2025 to 2034.”
What will Linux users do?
That’s some impressive growth. However, let’s consider who serves as the primary marketplace for Firefox.
Linux users.
Too: I tried the only agentive browser that runs native AI – and found only one downside
Or, to be more specific, users who value privacy, control over their online experience, and an open, free Internet ecosystem.
Do you really believe that a community like this would be okay with AI being front and center in Firefox? AI that can use questions to build consumer profiles, or use inputted information to train an LLM?
As a member of the open-source/Linux community who has been speaking publicly for decades, my guess is that this would not be a welcome change. The only saving grace would be that AI in Firefox is opt-in (and not opt-out). If Mozilla chooses the opt-out path, it could create a process for disabling AI that requires using the about://config tool in Firefox. Most Linux users have no problem with this, but those who are new to open-source OSes or use Firefox on Windows/MacOS may not be as discerning.
And then there is the idea of monetization. How will that work? Will Mozilla follow the same path as Opera’s Neon? Opera’s AI-based browser $20/month to useThe difference is that Opera has other versions of the browser, most of which are free, If you don’t want to pay to use Neon, just use standard Opera,
Also: I’m Testing the Top AI Browsers – Here’s Which Browsers Really Impressed Me
Will Mozilla also take the same path?
No one knows at the moment.
Local or cloud AI?
Here’s another question: Will Mozilla allow the use of native AI in Firefox, or will it only connect to cloud-based services, like Perplexity or ChatGPT? If Mozilla is smart, they will do this:
- Introduce a version of Firefox that uses cloud-based AI and charge a monthly fee for it.
- Offer a version that uses local AI (like Olama) and allow it to be used for free.
Also: My LLM Tools has released a super simple Mac and PC app for native AI – why you should try it
Why does this have a true meaning? Keeping in mind that most Linux users place high importance on privacy, many of them (like me) will only consider a version of Firefox that can connect to a locally installed instance of Olama; Otherwise, it’s a deal-breaker.
AI is the future
I realized that we had crossed the Rubicon and there was no turning back. AI is the future of technology, and the more we fight it, the more we lose. At one time, I thought AI was just a fad, but I remember that in the 1980s, my dad (who owned a bike shop) thought BMX was a fad. On this assumption he ate his shirt and the shop was closed.
No matter how many people stand up against AI, the powers that be have decided that it will remain a major force in our lives. Because of that, AI is going to find its way into almost every aspect of our lives, and web browsers are happily proving that point.
Also: Best Secure Browser for Privacy: Expert Tested
However, when looking in the rearview mirror, we see how many times Mozilla has faltered. Even the Linux community is starting to turn on the company that has provided the open-source operating system with its default browser for years. Some distributions are moving away from Firefox in favor of Brave or Vivaldi. Yes, Brave has built-in AI, but it’s not agentic. Vivaldi, on the other hand, does not have AI and never will.
According to Vivaldi CEO John von Tetzchner,
We’re taking a stand, choosing humans over propaganda, and we won’t turn the joy of discovery into a passive audience. Without exploration, the web becomes much less interesting. Our curiosity loses oxygen, and the web’s diversity dies.
Have an agent or not?
This is a big question. Adding AI as a side panel (similar to Opera’s Area) is one thing, but if Firefox goes the agentic path, this move will come back to haunt them.
I did some digging on various Linux and tech forums, and the comments are pretty clear: people don’t want AI shoved down their throats. on officer Phoronix Facebook page regarding this issueI found the following statements:
RIP Firefox that was a great show.
Aaaand my browser goes away. Any better option?
It’s all over. They managed to eliminate the only thing that made Firefox different. Let’s just say this is the end of Mozilla. That’s the only way they will learn.
Similar sentiments are found in various Linux groups – users don’t want Firefox to go the AI route.
I agree.
Also: Are AI browsers worth the security risk? Why are experts worried?
If I want AI in a browser, I’ll use Opera. Or, even better, I’ll just use my locally installed Olama instance. If I want privacy and security I’ll use Firefox. Privacy and AI are incompatible; The day they do, I think I’ll remove Firefox from my rotation.
From my perspective, it’s simple: AI won’t save Firefox or Mozilla. This is one in a long series of missteps that may well herald the end of the greatest web browser on the market at the time.
