The backlash against AI that has invaded almost every aspect of the computing experience is growing by the day.
Particularly as the onslaught of lazy AI slops involving the news feed, the technology is beginning to feel like a massive distraction — and large portions of the Internet have become disillusioned or even angry.
For example, a large number of Windows users refused to upgrade after Microsoft announced the transition of the operating system to a so-called “agentic OS”.
Even household names in the open-source industry aren’t safe. After being appointed as the new CEO of Mozilla, the open-source software company whose Firefox browser has long been praised as an attractive alternative to Google’s Chrome and Apple’s Safari, Anthony Nzor-DeMeo announced that he would reduce AI by three times.
one in 16 December blog postEnzor-DeMeo announced that Firefox will become a “modern AI browser and will support a portfolio of new and trusted software additions.”
But the rapid response forced the company quickly into damage control mode.
“I’ve never seen a company so astonishingly out of touch with the people who want to use its software,” one Disappointed user tweeted In response to the news.
“I switched back to Firefox late last year because it was the last AI-free browser,” another expressed regret at“I should know,”
“Please don’t turn Firefox into an AI browser,” another solicitation“It’s a great way to push us toward alternatives,”
The outrage was so strong that Mozilla had to issue a clarification on the comments of the company’s new CEO.
“Something that hasn’t been made clear: Firefox will have an option to completely disable all AI features,” the company wrote in an article. Update on Mastodon“We’ve been calling it the AI kill switch internally, I’m sure it would come up with a less life-threatening name, but that’s how seriously and thoroughly we’re taking it,”
One Open letter posted on Firefox subreddit Took issue with Enzor-DeMeo’s new direction.
“Ironically, the post announcing this new direction and highlighting ‘agency and choice’ had little mention of user input or feedback,” the letter reads. “This highlights the alienation that many of us experience every day: Mozilla has a pattern of struggling to implement and support basic features, and fails to even acknowledge serious user feedback most of the time.”
The letter further states, “Firefox does not need to become Google or Microsoft to succeed on both business and user standards.” “It’s certainly endearing because it isn’t. I hope this gap won’t close as Mozilla enters its ‘next chapter’ as part of a ‘broader ecosystem of trusted software.'”
In an apparent attempt to reassure the company’s most die-hard fans, Enzor-DeMeo made the comments.
“Rest assured, Firefox will always remain a browser built around user controls,” he said wrote“This includes AI, You will have a clear way to turn off AI features, A real kill switch is coming in the first quarter of 2026,”
However, his attempts to calm the situation fanned the flames further.
“If the ‘kill switch’ is the official control for this, the entire organization needs to stop referring to your ‘AI’ features as ‘opt-in,'” one user express reaction“It’s clearly an opt-out,”
The user further added, “If Mozilla can’t agree on that basic definition, then I don’t see how users should trust that it will actually work.”
Interestingly, competing browser company Vivaldi, whose browser is based on Google’s open-source Chromium project, has taken a dramatically different approach.
in one August blog postVivaldi CEO John von Tetzchner accused Google and other companies like Microsoft of “turning the address bar into a helpful prompt, turning the joy of search into a passive audience.”
“We will continue to create a browser for curious minds, energy users, researchers, and anyone who values autonomy,” von Tetzchner wrote.
He said, “If AI contributes to that goal without stealing intellectual property, without compromising privacy or the open web, then we will use it.” “If it turns people into passive consumers, we won’t do it.”
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