The 148th version of the modern internet browser Firefox has finally been released. The most notable feature of this update is the "AI Off Switch," which allows users to disable all artificial intelligence tools with a single click.
Redaksiya reports that Mozilla guarantees that if users disable this feature, artificial intelligence will not be re-enabled in future updates. This step is considered quite significant, considering that the company's revenue model depends on artificial intelligence features.
Disabling artificial intelligence features in the browser is a very easy process. Users only need to go to the "AI Controls" section from the "Settings" menu and enable the option to prevent enhancements. Through this operation, external ChatGPT and other chatbot tools, smart tab suggestions, and AI link previews are completely disabled. Users who choose to disable the system will no longer receive in-app notifications for testing artificial intelligence. Furthermore, pre-loaded local artificial intelligence models will also be completely removed from the system.
Users who wish can have a personalized experience by keeping only the features they need and blocking other bots, instead of disabling all features. Mozilla continues to collect statistical data on how often users use this new off switch. In the future, new features called "AI Window" will be added to the browser, which will provide a command-based browsing experience. However, the company states that users will always have the right to return to the classic browser experience. Users will choose themselves which model the assistant will support and what artificial intelligence can learn. On the other hand, users who refuse data collection with the new version will still be able to receive remote enhancement updates. This setting can be made from the "Privacy and Security" menu.
There are also some visual and functional innovations on the new folder page. Recommended content is now categorized by topic headings such as work, politics, or popular topics of the day. Users will be able to follow or hide these categories. With the new design that adapts to screen size, more content cards can be displayed on the screen. The sponsored stories option in the settings menu has now been moved under a heading that explains the mission of supporting the company. In addition, a new and practical link for managing information in built-in profiles is located on the general settings page.
Firefox version 148 also includes significant improvements in technical and security aspects. The "Trusted Types API" and "Sanitizer API" are supported to reduce cross-site scripting (XSS) security vulnerabilities. New functions for "anchor" placement have been added on the CSS side. In addition, screen reader support for mathematical formulas in PDFs has been improved. The Firefox Backup feature has been enabled for Windows 10 users. While Vietnamese and Traditional Chinese languages have been added to the translation tool, new tab wallpapers will now appear in their new cover tabs. WebGPU service worker support, RISC-V Zbb extension support in certain configurations, and telemetry features for learning Linux distributions are also introduced with this update.
The new update can be downloaded from the official website for Windows, macOS, and Linux operating systems starting February 24th. Linux users can install it through various methods such as Snap, Flatpak, Mozilla APT repository, or directly downloadable files. Snap packages on Ubuntu are updated silently in the background, while Linux Mint users can switch to the new version via the standard update tool thanks to the deb package. These artificial intelligence steps in the browser market continue to shape the internet experience.