Firefox introduces an AI kill switch, giving users full control over artificial intelligence features

Mozilla has announced it plans to introduce a new global toggle for Firefox which allows users to either disable all their browser’s AI capabilities at once or allow selective control over them. This toggle, titled “Block AI Enhancements” will begin to rollout with Firefox on February 24, 2026, and represents Mozilla’s desire to make sure that users have complete control over what happens with their data amid rising concern about forced integration of AI into browsers.

Firefox users will see this new toggle in their desktop setting window. It will provide them with a simple way to turn off all the current and future generative AI features Firefox provides with one click. Users will also be able to choose to enable certain AI tools (for example, the ability to automatically translate web pages) and disable all other AI features.

At launch, the “Block AI Enhancements” toggle will affect several AI-enhanced features including AI-generated alt text for images within PDF files, AI-based tab organization, link previews and the side bar chat bot. Firefox will be capable of supporting multiple AI assistants (ChatGPT, Claude, Copilot, Gemini and Le Chat from Mistral), allowing users to enable or disable each assistant separately.

As Mozilla stated in their announcement, the ultimate goal is not to remove all AI from the browser, but rather to empower users to make choices about whether or how they want to use AI. Unlike most mainstream browsers, which are continuing to include AI features by default, Firefox is taking a unique approach by providing users with the option to make AI entirely optional.

Prior to the release of the “Block AI Enhancements” toggle, users who wanted to browse using AI-free versions of Chrome, Edge, or Firefox would usually need to rely on a private, niche browser designed around the concept of privacy, or a third party tool that suppressed AI functionality in those browsers. While many browsers currently offer limited control over AI functionality, no mainstream browser offers a single toggle that will disable all AI in the browser.

By introducing the AI Kill Switch, Firefox clearly separates itself from mainstream browsers and reinforces the value of user autonomy, regardless of how ubiquitous AI may become in every day software applications.