Summary
- Mozilla’s new CEO plans to shift Firefox into a “modern AI browser” as part of a broader ecosystem.
- Users fear AI features will impact privacy, worsen performance, and push needed fixes to the back burner.
- Backlash erupted across the internet, with users lamenting the company’s seeming lack of insight into what its users value.
Mozilla announced Anthony Enzor-DeMeo as its new CEO on December 16. To commemorate the moment, he released a statement that has garnered a truly impressive amount of backlash.
In the statement, Enzor-DeMeo laid out the future of Mozilla. The company will focus on becoming “the trusted software company.” The new CEO laid out a plan to move Mozilla in that direction. The plans start out well, with much talk of user agency, the ability to turn off unwanted features (including AI), and more transparent monetization strategies that align with the company’s goal of building trust. All good, right?
Then comes the bomb: “Firefox will grow from a browser into a broader ecosystem of trusted software. Firefox will remain our anchor. It will evolve into a modern AI browser and support a portfolio of new and trusted software additions.”
Heading in the wrong direction
Will Firefox become just another AI browser?
What’s baffling about the move is that, prior to his appointment as CEO, Enzor-DeMeo served as the head of the Firefox browser. If anyone should be in touch with what the users of the browser actually want, it should be him. And yet, here we are.
Users have already been leaving Firefox at a steady pace. Its remaining supporters continue to hang on because of its focus on privacy and open-source software. However, many are unhappy about perceived performance, compatibility with websites, a smaller ecosystem of extensions, and frequent changes to the browser’s UI and feature set.
Instead of focusing on what users are actually asking for, Mozilla appears to be jumping on the same AI bandwagon as every other company — a bandwagon that is sharply dividing users. The concerns aren’t unfounded. In our experience, AI browsers have some positive qualities, but we also have security and privacy concerns.
User backlash has been intense
The people have spoken
Firefox fans took to Reddit to voice their disappointment in these decisions. Some lamented the fact that Mozilla wasn’t focusing on improvements that users are actually asking for.
Others expressed concern that the CEO was out of touch.
Reddit user nseavia71501 even wrote an open letter to the CEO that gives voice to many of the concerns users have.
Firefox alternatives
Try these Firefox-based browsers
Ultimately, the hope is that these unwanted features can be deactivated (or even better, are off by default and need to be enabled manually). However, just the fact that Mozilla thinks this is a good idea is concerning. Luckily, the open-source nature of Firefox means that there are plenty of forks available:
- LibreWolf: A fork with a strong emphasis on privacy and security.
- Zen Browser: A newer fork inspired by the Arc browser, but based on Firefox’s Gecko engine.
- Waterfox: A Firefox fork focused on performance and user control.
Is this the wrong move for Mozilla? Will you stick around, or have you already left Firefox for an alternative? Share your thoughts in the comments.
