Mozilla plans to add AI features to Firefox that run locally. It is therefore not the intention that your data will be processed elsewhere.
Like Microsoft in Google Mozilla wants to equip its browser with AI. The browser developer already shared its first AI plans in January. At least, it indicated that Firefox should get an AI function that “has just as big an impact as the pop-up blocker.” By this, the company is referring to the browser’s popularity due to its built-in pop-up blocker. AI must therefore bring the same success to the browser. It has already been established that Firefox will at least be equipped with FakeSpot this year: an AI system that detects fake reviews.
AI model on your computer
In a forum post on Mozilla Connect the developer shares more about the future of AI in Firefox this week. One element is central: privacy. The company wants to provide AI features that “solve tangible problems, respect your privacy and give you real choice.” To achieve this, Firefox wants to work with AI models that run locally on your computer. Mozilla is bucking the trend: almost all AI functions in browsers now run on LLMs in the cloud.
Generate alt text with AI
The first AI function that works locally should appear in the coming quarter. In concrete terms, this concerns AI that generates alt texts for images in PDF files. Mozilla wants to process and store that alt text on the device. It is not immediately clear what this means for the speed at which Firefox will be able to generate this alt text. Local AI models are less powerful: after all, they must be able to run on your computer’s processor. Unless it has the latest generation processor with NPU, they are not necessarily made for AI tasks.
Only time will tell how exactly the AI functions will work out. Initially it only concerns one AI function. More AI is likely coming to Firefox later this year.
Copilot+-pc’s
In the future, more and more PCs will be suitable for AI. Microsoft announced this week its first generation of AI PCs under the name ‘Copilot+-pc’s‘. These PCs will have all kinds of Windows features that respond to AI, such as a Cocreator function in Paint. Other apps will also be able to use NPU computing power from these AI PCs. It is likely that Firefox will also use this for its AI.
