this post was submitted on 16 Dec 2025
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Firefox

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[–] voytrekk@sopuli.xyz 13 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago) (1 children)

First: Every product we build must give people agency in how it works. Privacy, data use, and AI must be clear and understandable. Controls must be simple. AI should always be a choice — something people can easily turn off. People should know why a feature works the way it does and what value they get from it. Second: our business model must align with trust. We will grow through transparent monetization that people recognize and value. Third: Firefox will grow from a browser into a broader ecosystem of trusted software. Firefox will remain our anchor. It will evolve into a modern AI browser and support a portfolio of new and trusted software additions.

Are the first and third points not contradicting? Having control over AI in the browser means that the browser cannot be AI first. Maybe they need to step back and look at their core audience and a shifting user preference for less big tech and more control.

I think the biggest thing that they can do is look at what the Firefox forks are doing and try and implement the features that led to people leaving. I'm using Zen not only for the addition features and UI elements it brings, but also the things that it chooses not to include.

They can also look at what IronFox and LibreWolf do to create a new built in profile that maximizes privacy and security trading off convenience.

Finally, they have failed to capture new users when google is blocking ad blockers. When you have a smaller market share you need to take advantage of your competitor's mistakes.

[–] natecox@programming.dev 12 points 1 week ago (1 children)

I hate to say it, but I’m assuming at this point that the “this is something you should be able to turn off” is just there because they want to soften the blow to their user base, but the “ai browser” is the real goal.

[–] voytrekk@sopuli.xyz 4 points 1 week ago (1 children)

I'm worried you are right as well. Fortunately there are a number of great Firefox forks. I just wish they would put more focus into their core product.

One thing that really baffles me is that they aren't getting any revenue for having a default AI or something like that. Surely one of these companies would pay some decent money to have their AI agent as the default just as Google does for search.

[–] Delta_V@lemmy.world 1 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago)

It seems like Mozilla's end game is to become a rival to Google for advertising revenue.

Google's stranglehold on search produces a huge volume of hugely valuable user data. That data + search market share drives demand for their advertising products.

If Mozilla can embed an LLM in their browser that meets people's search needs, then Mozilla and their 'AI' will be the ones hoovering up gobs of user data and selling the data and advertising space to marketers.