Mozilla roll out first AI features in Firefox Nightly

This post is very thin on details. A better source is in the Firefox Nightly News blog post titled “Experimenting with AI services in Nightly”. [1] This is currently opt-in.

Some excerpts from that post [1]:

> To start, this experiment will only be available to Nightly users, and the AI functionality will be entirely optional. It’s there in case it’s helpful, but it is not built into any core functionality.

> In the first experiment that you can try out this week, you will be able to:

> Add a chatbot of your choice to the sidebar, so you can quickly access it as you browse.

> Select and send text from webpages to.

> Summarize the excerpt and make it easier to scan and understand at a glance.

> Simplify language. We find this feature handy for answering the typical kids’ “why” questions.

> Ask the chatbot to test your knowledge and memory of the excerpt.

> To activate the experience:

> Go to Settings > Nightly Experiments and turn the AI Chatbot Integration experiment on.

> Choose your preferred chatbot from this list of providers: ChatGPT, Google Gemini, HuggingChat, Le Chat Mistral

> Then, as you browse, select any text, right-click it, and choose the Ask chatbot option to send the text, page title, and prompt to your provider.

[1]: https://blog.nightly.mozilla.org/2024/06/24/experimenting-wi...

Man, I was actually kind of happy about Mozilla's seemingly-measured response to the AI hype, and mostly running local models to perform actually useful tasks (translation, alt text generation).

But I really don't think cramming a bunch of proprietary online services like ChatGPT counts as "intentional and methodical". It comes across more like a "we need AI!!!" cry of desperation, throwing principles like privacy in the wind.

How about adding a grid feature so that I can view multiple tabs in a grid, side-by-side instead of having to manually resize multiple windows everytime I need to do this? I can't imagine I am the only one needing this.

Or being able to mark a window as "main" so even if I accidentally close it first, I don't lose all my pinned tabs upon restart? Again, I'm sure many people have burnt their fingers with this long-standing issue.

I have nothing against AI driven stuff but I keep hoping that one day Mozilla will do the basic things first.

Anyone know which about:config-parameters I need to change to disable it?

God no.

Focus on a quality product instead of shiny buzz words for once.

It looks like by "AI" they're only referring to LLM-based features. Other AI that I think would be beneficial in a browser would be OCR text in images, image classification and description (maybe optionally censor gore and similar), change detection on websites, good history search.

They already have some features that could be marketed as AI like reader view and local translation.

Is it safe to assume that these API calls to ChatGPT, Google Gemini, HuggingChat, and Le Chat Mistral are costing Mozilla money?

I've been using Librewolf for about a week now, and I hope they strip out/disable this AI feature.

A few librewolf "gotchas", BTW, should anyone else want to try it: https://c.im/@sbb/112653498580361415

Oh boy, they have too much money? Nobody asked for this and/or need this feature.

KISS

Couldn't this just be done with an extension?

Mozilla forever determined to do anything but actually improve their core product.

I know it's opt-in, but nobody is going to switch to a browser because they ship this kinda stuff.

So quick to roll out AI but I'm still waiting for proper tab grouping. I know it's coming, they've already said so.

But how is AI given priority over the most requested feature in their forums?

God no. How does this help you? You're last in the race of browsers to link AI features, and this sounds like it's not even a plugin but a core feature. I don't understand who would want or need this. You skipped bitcoin, you skipped NFTs, why do you enter the grifter's race now?

edit: I only know of Vivaldi declaring they're against adding AI features [0]

[0] https://vivaldi.com/blog/technology/vivaldi-wont-allow-a-mac...

I'm fine with local "AI". I use the built-in translate feature quite extensively. I don't want it connecting to these outside services that prey on user-data and take advantage of user privacy; especially the likes of Google that is providing its AI services to Apartheid Israel's army.

Feels like this should be an extension, not a core part of the browser

Boardroom:

AI!

AI, what?

Dunno, just AI.

Ok.

Ok.

Ok.

Ok.

Ok.

Ok.

I’d rather they add tab groups first.

ai for kids

TLDR: Opt-in