Mozilla has announced it’s adding easy access to tool like ChatGPT, Gemini, and so to Firefox.
Whether it’s a local or a cloud-based model, if you want to use AI, we think you should have the freedom to use (or not use) the tools that best suit your needs. With that in mind, this week, we will launch an opt-in experiment offering access to preferred AI services in Nightly for improved productivity as you browse. Instead of juggling between tabs or apps for assistance, those who have opted-in will have the option to access their preferred AI service from the Firefox sidebar to summarize information, simplify language, or test their knowledge, all without leaving their current web page.
Our initial offering will include ChatGPT, Google Gemini, HuggingChat, and Le Chat Mistral, but we will continue adding AI services that meet our standards for quality and user experience.
↫ Ian Carmichael
My biggest worry is not so much Mozilla adding these tools to Firefox – other browsers are doing it, and people clearly want to use them, so it makes sense for Firefox, too, to integrate them into the browser. No, my biggest worry is that this is just the first step on the way to the next major revenue agreement – just as Google is paying Mozilla to be the default search engine in Firefox, what if OpenAI starts paying to be the default AI tool in Firefox?
Once that happens, I’m afraid a lot of the verbiage around choice and the ability to easily disable it all is going to change. I’m still incredibly annoyed by the fact I have to dive into about:config just to properly remove Pocket, a service I do not use, do not want, and annoys me by taking up space in my UI. I’m afraid that one or two years from now, AI integration will be just another complex set of strings I need to look for in about:config to truly disable it all.
It definitely feels like Firefox is only going to get worse from here on out, not better, and this AI stuff seems more like an invitation for a revenue agreement than something well thought-out and useful. We’ll see where things go from here, but my worries about Firefox’ future are only growing stronger with Mozilla’s latest moves. As a Linux user, this makes me worried.
I’ve got a muscle memory thing with Firefox (and a lot of other software too, tbh) to take functionality back to its basics again. That includes disabling all kinds of settings in about:config like enabling compact mode, moving buttons back to a sane position and disabling browser history and search engine preloading.
There’s something to be said for both sides of software, probably, where you need to add what you need or disable what you don’t.
I prefer getting set up with the basics… but I also prefer for Mozilla to survive because I don’t like the idea of a Chromium-only web.
To what possible end? How does this help anyone? ISTG the way companies try to shove generative AI into everything is so exhausting. Just let me have a browser that browses, instead of shoehorning in… chatbots. That cannot be trusted no matter how often they slap on the “trustworthy” qualifier. And that normal people will never use.
You don’t have to use it, so why do you complain?
From ChatGPT:
“Incorporating AI into Firefox could bring several potential downsides, which Mozilla needs to consider and mitigate:
1. Privacy Concerns
Data Collection: AI systems often rely on collecting and analyzing user data to provide personalized experiences. This can raise significant privacy concerns among users who value Firefox’s reputation for protecting user privacy.
User Trust: If users perceive that their data is being misused or inadequately protected, it could erode trust in Firefox and lead to a loss of users.
2. Increased Resource Usage
Performance Impact: AI algorithms, particularly those running in real-time, can be resource-intensive. This might lead to increased memory and CPU usage, potentially slowing down the browser and affecting its performance.
Battery Drain: On mobile devices, AI features can lead to higher battery consumption, which could be a major drawback for users.
3. Complexity and Usability
Learning Curve: Introducing AI features could make the browser more complex and harder to use, especially for less tech-savvy users. Ensuring these features are intuitive and easy to use is crucial.
Overwhelming Users: Too many AI-driven suggestions or changes can overwhelm users, leading to a negative experience.
4. Development and Maintenance Costs
Resource Allocation: Developing and maintaining AI features requires significant resources, including financial investment and skilled personnel. This might divert resources from other critical areas of the browser’s development.
Technical Debt: Implementing AI can introduce technical debt if not managed properly, leading to long-term maintenance challenges.
5. Bias and Ethics
Algorithmic Bias: AI systems can inadvertently introduce or amplify biases present in the data they are trained on. This could lead to unfair or discriminatory outcomes, affecting user experience and trust.
Ethical Considerations: Ensuring that AI features are used ethically and responsibly is crucial. Mozilla needs to be transparent about how AI is used and take steps to prevent misuse.
6. Compatibility and Integration Issues
Extension Compatibility: AI features might conflict with existing browser extensions, leading to compatibility issues and potential loss of functionality for users who rely on those extensions.
Cross-Platform Consistency: Ensuring consistent AI functionality across different platforms (desktop, mobile, etc.) can be challenging and resource-intensive.
7. Security Risks
Vulnerabilities: AI systems can introduce new security vulnerabilities that malicious actors could exploit. Ensuring robust security measures are in place is essential to protect users.
Misuse of Features: AI features could be misused by attackers, for example, by manipulating AI-driven recommendations or autofill features for phishing attacks.
Conclusion
While AI has the potential to significantly enhance Firefox, these potential downsides highlight the importance of careful planning and implementation. Mozilla must prioritize user privacy, maintain high performance, ensure usability, and address ethical considerations to successfully integrate AI into Firefox without compromising its core values and user trust.” – ChatGPT
You did not share your prompt – I have no idea what you asked it. “AI” is already unreliable, but if you don’t even share the prompt, I have absolutely no idea how I’m supposed to to interpret this.
The prompt was, “Is Mozilla adding AI to Firefox proof that they’ve entered the ‘throwing shit at the wall to see what sticks’ phase of the product lifecycle?”
Nice prompt. Very graphic.
If he would asked about downsides od not integrating AI, there would be downsides too, so event with prompt IT mean nothing. I guess there are downsides of drinking water too.
ChatGPT
What are the downsides of drinking water?
While drinking water is essential for health, there can be downsides if consumed improperly or in excess. Here are some potential downsides:
Water Intoxication (Hyponatremia): Consuming an excessive amount of water in a short period can dilute the sodium in your blood, leading to a dangerous condition called hyponatremia. Symptoms include headache, nausea, vomiting, confusion, and in severe cases, seizures, coma, or death.
Electrolyte Imbalance: Drinking too much water can disrupt the balance of electrolytes in your body, which are crucial for muscle function and other physiological processes.
Overhydration: Excessive water intake can strain your kidneys, which are responsible for filtering excess water and maintaining electrolyte balance. Overhydration can lead to kidney damage over time.
Disruption of Sleep: Drinking large amounts of water before bed can cause frequent trips to the bathroom during the night, disrupting sleep.
Contaminated Water: Drinking water from unsafe or contaminated sources can expose you to harmful pathogens, chemicals, or heavy metals, leading to various health issues such as gastrointestinal infections, chronic diseases, or acute poisoning.
Mineral Deficiency: If the water you consume is highly purified and stripped of minerals (e.g., distilled water), it may lead to a deficiency in essential minerals over time.
Interference with Digestion: Drinking too much water during meals can dilute stomach acid, potentially impairing digestion and the absorption of nutrients.
Increased Urinary Frequency: Excessive water intake can lead to frequent urination, which can be inconvenient and potentially lead to dehydration if not balanced properly.
Overall, it’s important to consume water in moderation and be mindful of the quality of the water you drink. The general recommendation is to drink when you’re thirsty and to pay attention to your body’s signals.
Or, more humorously:
ChatGPT
Is it true that 100% of people exposed to dihydrogen monoxide die?
Yes, it is technically true that 100% of people exposed to dihydrogen monoxide (DHMO) will eventually die, but this statement is misleading. Dihydrogen monoxide is simply water (H₂O), and exposure to it is essential for life. Everyone drinks water, and everyone will eventually die from various causes, but not because of water exposure itself. This statement is an example of how information can be presented in a way that sounds alarming but is actually trivial.
https://www.dhmo.org/
Disgusting turn of events.
At least we still have the Mozilla forks.
This could easily be seen as an attempt to stay relevant.
Neil Degrasse Tyson is probably right, that “AI” will mean the end of the internet (at least, of http/www). I might argue it was already over with Google becoming the ultimate gate keeper, and the the rise of SEO – but with AI, it will be literally impossible to trust anything you find on the internet, if there is even anyone left looking.
That said, “AI” (generative/llm) is going to set the information age back 20 years if we aren’t careful. It’s not reliable…
I look forward to this. Being able to discuss the current page with an AI is going to be super useful. Some obvious ones are summarization of articles and long comment sections, sentiment/bias analysis, actually having *something* take a look at the terms of service, even if it’s not perfect. 🙂
Opt in.
For most of the work done by a web browser, like image recognition, text summarization, text understanding, query answering, semantic search, and many others, the local models would be more than enough.
All “big” players like Meta (llama), Microsoft (phi-3), Apple (elm), Google (gemma), and third parties like mistral offers models under 3B, or even 1B parameters. Add in quantization and other optimizations, it is even possible to run them on mobile devices, or the raspberry pi: https://www.reddit.com/r/raspberry_pi/comments/1ati2ki/how_to_run_a_large_language_model_llm_on_a/
My point?
At least for release one, they could have focused on, local, open source model implementation.
Bonus points:
Microsoft’s “recall” has an open source version from them with most of the features that you have full control over:
https://github.com/microsoft/semantic-kernel (Extra bonus: MIT license)
From “Every Os Sucks” by Three Dead Trolls In A Baggie
You see, I come from a time in the nineteen-hundred-and-seventies when computers were used for two things – to either go to the moon, or play Pong… nothing in between. Y’see, you didn’t need a fancy operating system to play Pong, and the men who went to the moon–God Bless ’em–did it with no mouse, and a plain text-only black-and-white screen, and 32 kilobytes of RAM
But then ’round ’bout the late 70’s, home computers started to do a little more than play Pong… very little more. Like computers started to play games, and balance checkbooks, and why you could play Zaxxon on your Apple II, or… write a book! All with a computer that had 32 kilobytes of RAM! It was good enough to go to the moon, it was good enough for you
It was a golden time. A time before Windows, a time before mouses, a time before the internet and bloatware, and a time… before every OS sucked
Where has this song been all my life?
I believe that at the point when AI becomes really annoying somebody will fork Mozilla and cut out the unwanted part.
https://firefox-source-docs.mozilla.org/setup/linux_build.html
Given Firefox already has forks, this should be no brainer:
https://medium.com/@mihirgrand/comparing-popular-firefox-forks-6fa83fdfdaad
(And let’s not forget Tor Browser, which takes privacy to 11)
One has to understand that Google is investing billions in Chrome and an army of developers and beyond is behind Chrome, all this is then presented to the public as being free. General public in a way knows that it’s not really free, that the terms of use are you must give away one of your basic human rights, privacy. Google then makes shit loads of money by selling privacy. Now there is still Mozilla and Firefox a project that once had large amounts of market share and although there were no technical reason involved, Google easily squeezed Firefox out of market and secured a monopoly position, people just went with it. To save face Google is now giving large amount of charity to Mozilla, for it to not go under, both knowing their relevance. In this day and age hence most people use Chrome but are bitching about Firefox in some way, even mentioning things like privacy, rather disgusting. On top of that most people expect some volunteer will emerge and to develop a Chrome alternative for them for free. The reality of such projects can be seen in project such as Brave or Opera. So the idea somebody will fork Firefox and compete with Chrome, for you to feel good about yourself. Get real.
Chrome must be decoupled from Google, into its own company, and such this new company must be forced to compete with other web bowsers maker companies on the market under the same terms. Until that happens we will have Chrome monopoly and the rest are doomed, their reach at best at a couple of percent of the market share and their revenues tied to sugar daddy’s.
Geck,
“every action has an equal and opposite reaction”, or rather everything sets up unexpected consequences.
Assume somehow Chrome decouples from Google.
What will Google do? What will Chrome Internet Systems, Inc do?
Won’t they just repeat the agreement between Firefox and Google, and have Google as the primary search engine with deep integration in return for funding?
Say, you don’t like this, and you banned Google from investing in Chrome.
What will happen?
What will stop Bing making such an investment?
What about Amazon?
Or do you want them not to receive any sponsorship or funding at all?
I would say there were definitely some strong technical reasons at the beginning. Chrome(ium) in its initial releases felt magically fast to launch and render pages, it absolutely ran circles around Firefox at the time. And for quite a while its Javascript engine was unmatched in speed. Then the inevitable bloat came along, and also Firefox made an effort to be faster, so now it’s pretty much a tie as far as human perception is concerned.
That something minority of user base was caught up with, majority had no real reason to switch to Chrome, and yet they did just that. Effortless transition and monopolization for Google.
I’d rather see this integrated into Chrome or Edge for my entertainment purposes.