Firefox has a kill switch for its AI features, but only 1% of users have activated it.

      TL;DR: Only 1% of Firefox users have utilized the AI kill switch implemented by Mozilla based on user demand. The company also introduced Smart Window (allowing users to bring their own AI models), a built-in VPN with 1.5 million signups, and a redesign set for the fall.

      Mozilla added an AI kill switch to Firefox following requests from its users; however, just 1% have activated it. An additional 3% selectively disabled certain AI features, while the majority kept all settings on. CEO Anthony Enzor-DeMeo emphasized that the focus should be on user choice rather than the usage percentage.

      “Our community expressed a strong desire, particularly during the CEO announcement, that not everyone was in favor of AI,” Enzor-DeMeo told CNET. “We fundamentally want to heed our users' feedback, and while it was originally in the pipeline, I prioritized it due to the responses from the community.”

      The low adoption rate indicates that many who requested an AI kill switch either didn't implement it or found particular functions, such as AI-assisted translation, beneficial enough to retain. Enzor-DeMeo interpreted this as confirmation that Firefox's strategy is effective, highlighting that the key difference lies in providing control rather than eliminating AI, contrasting it with Microsoft’s automatic inclusion of Copilot on Windows systems and Google’s undisclosed installation of a 4 GB AI model on users' devices.

      The latest feature from Firefox, Smart Window, is currently in beta. It allows users to select which AI model they want to operate within the browser, including options like ChatGPT, Gemini, Claude, or privately hosted open-source models. “Each excels in various areas. Why should I be compelled to use just one of them?” Enzor-DeMeo stated. Mozilla asserted that it does not utilize chat data for model training and automatically filters out sensitive information.

      Additionally, the browser introduced a free built-in VPN last month, which has garnered 1.5 million signups and around 800,000 active users. Enzor-DeMeo highlighted the importance of integrating the VPN directly into the browser for convenience, as clicking a button is simpler than launching a separate application. The VPN only encrypts activity within the browser and does not cover other applications.

      A comprehensive redesign, known as Project Nova, is anticipated in September or October. This update will feature quicker page loading times (up to a 9% boost), a compact view, rounded UI components, AI-assisted tab organization, and enhanced accessibility features. Currently, Firefox has approximately 200 million monthly users and holds just over 2% of the browser market, compared to Chrome’s 70% and Safari’s 16%.

      Enzor-DeMeo highlighted the global implications, mentioning that 83% of the world has not utilized AI and only about 3% of Americans subscribe to it. He described AI as “largely non-profitable” and predicted an increase in advertisements within AI services in the near future. “If AI becomes more central in the browser as a means for accessing the internet, there is a risk that the internet might become more restricted.”

      Mozilla believes that the browser should act as the user’s representative rather than serve as a distribution channel for AI companies. Whether the combined presence of 200 million users and a 2% market share is sufficient to strengthen this position remains an open question for Firefox. However, the statistic regarding the 1% usage of the kill switch reveals a more complex narrative than the backlash suggested—users wanted the option but chose not to utilize it, a distinction that is often overlooked in the broader AI discourse.