February 24, 2026
AI? More like Bye-I
Firefox 148 Launches with AI Kill Switch Feature and More Enhancements
Users cheer the AI OFF button while privacy fans crown Firefox the last holdout
TLDR: Firefox 148 adds a true AI kill switch, letting users turn off chatbots and summaries—and Mozilla says updates won’t turn it back on. Comments split between applause from privacy loyalists, sarcasm about “Step 4: profit,” and frustration over missing PWA app support, making control the headline.
Firefox 148 just dropped an AI kill switch, and the crowd is loud. Privacy fans are popping confetti over an honest-to-goodness OFF button that promises future updates won’t sneak AI back in. One commenter joked the meme timeline: “Step 1: launch AI, Step 4: profit?” while another snarked, “If I wanted a browser with AI, I’d use Chrome or Edge.” Translation: people want control, not nagging pop-ups.
Mozilla says you can go to Settings > AI Controls and block AI prompts, remove downloaded models, or cherry-pick useful bits like on-device translation. That scored points with the “choose-your-own-features” crowd. But the thread wasn’t all high-fives—PWA (progressive web app) loyalists demanded news: is proper app-like support still stuck on Windows? RockstarSprain’s patience is wearing thin.
Beyond the AI drama, Firefox added guards against sneaky web code, a fix so screen readers can read math in PDFs, new translations for Vietnamese and Traditional Chinese, and Firefox Backup on Windows 10. Typography geeks even joked about “em” vs “en” dashes.
The vibe? Split between “Firefox is the last ad-resistance hero” and “ship PWAs already.” Whether you’re hitting the kill or keeping a few smart features, 148 hands the steering wheel back firmly to you.
Key Points
- •Firefox 148 adds an AI kill switch to disable AI features like chatbot prompts and link summaries.
- •AI settings are managed via Settings > AI Controls, including a ‘Block AI Enhancements’ toggle and selective blocking.
- •Users can opt out of remote updates and minimize data collection under Privacy & Settings > Firefox Data Collection.
- •Security enhancements include integration of Trusted Types API and Sanitizer API to address XSS.
- •Additional updates include better PDF accessibility, Firefox Backup on Windows 10, new translations, container tab wallpapers, and service worker support for WebGPU.