Firefox AI kill switch lands in v148 (Feb 24, 2026)—one toggle blocks all current/future AI like chatbots, tab grouping, translations. Mozilla bows to user backlash with privacy-first control.
Firefox AI kill switch arrives February 24, 2026 in Firefox 148 stable, delivering a single, ironclad toggle to obliterate every AI enhancement—current or future—with no nagging prompts or sneaky re-enables, a direct concession to privacy hawks who revolted against Mozilla’s “modern AI browser” ambitions. New CEO Anthony Enzor-DeMeo greenlit it post-December backlash, with Firefox engineer Jake Archibald affirming on Mastodon: “The kill switch will absolutely remove all that stuff, and never show it in future. That’s unambiguous.” Default off, it nukes sidebar chatbots (Claude, ChatGPT, Copilot, Gemini, Mistral), AI tab grouping, PDF alt-text, link previews, translations, and blocks all future additions across updates.
Mozilla’s pivot sparked fury among its 200 million users—Reddit’s r/firefox threads topped 5k upvotes slamming data risks after the AI Window opt-in sidebar and Perplexity search ties. Unlike Chrome’s buried flags or Edge’s site toggles, Firefox offers browser-wide annihilation preserving its open-source soul. Blog post nails it: “Firefox remains built around user choice.”
The AI Onslaught Firefox Now Lets You Kill
December 2025 rollout included:
Sidebar AI Chatbots: Drop-down with Claude, ChatGPT, Copilot, Gemini, Le Chat—query tabs/pages.
Tab Grouping: AI auto-names clusters (e.g., “Shopping Tabs”).
PDF/Image Alt-Text: Auto-descriptions for accessibility.
Link Previews: Summarizes pages on hover.
Translations: Instant page language swaps.
Kill Switch Location: Settings → Privacy & Security → AI Controls → “Block AI enhancements” master toggle. Granular sub-switches default on for used features.
No performance drag; hybrid local/remote AI halts cold. Enterprise GPOs drop March.
Backstory: Backlash Forces Mozilla’s Hand
New CEO Enzor-DeMeo (Dec 2025) pushed “AI ecosystem” vision, igniting privacy alarms—Firefox’s anti-Google rep clashed with chatbot integrations. Mastodon/Reddit erupted: “Firefox becoming Chrome-lite?” Mozilla backpedaled fast, promising opt-outs. BleepingComputer confirmed Feb 1: Toggle persists updates, no nags.
Vs. rivals:
| Browser | Master AI Toggle | Future AI Block | Default |
|---|---|---|---|
| Firefox 148 | Yes | Yes | Off |
| Chrome | Flags only | No | On |
| Edge | Per-site | No | On |
| Brave | Partial | Partial | Off |
Firefox wins decisively.
Hands-On: Testing the Kill Switch
Nightly (v148.0a1) deploys under about:preferences#privacy. Toggle on—sidebar vanishes, tab AI silent, PDF text blank, previews static. about:processes confirms zero AI tasks. Revert anytime; unused features stay dormant.
Pro users: Pair uBlock for extra blocks. Enterprise: Policy templates enforce.
Mozilla’s Firefox AI kill switch proves listening pays—rare Big Tech bow to users. Chrome refugees incoming.
