5 ms·

Why are there controls to turn off AI features, but no controls to turn on AI features?

• giantfrog 9mo ago
  Because Firefox users have been clamoring for the ability to turn them off rather than the opposite.
  • LoganDark 9mo ago
    I think they're asking why it has to be opt-out rather than opt-in.
    • ryandrake 9mo ago
      The likely answer is an incentive structure that rewards someone for maximizing 'number of users using AI'.
  • SahAssar 9mo ago
    I think you misunderstand. Firefox users have wanted this to be opt-in or explicit-choice rather than opt-out. The implication is that all future AI features will be opt-out.
    • ysavir 9mo ago
      I think the parent comment is snark. They're saying that since many Firefox users are saying "Let me turn off AI features, please!" for features they don't want at all, and few to no Firefox users are saying "Let me turn on AI features!" because few to no Firefox users want AI features in the first place, Mozilla is making AI features opt-out to "satisfy" the "want" of turning off AI features.
• denkmoon 9mo ago
  Those are helpfully enabled by default, you can put your feet up, Moz has you covered.
• hn92726819 9mo ago
  In the parallel universe where Firefox defaults to ai features being off, there's a snarky comment like yours about why it isn't on by default. It is really tiring to hear this stuff. People (rightfully) complained there was no switch. One was added. In Chrome, you can't turn off Google's ai unless you install a third party extension that hasn't yet been blocked by Google. Not a lot of companies allow disabling their garbage, but FF does. Can't we be happy with this nice switch?
  • beautron 9mo ago
    > Not a lot of companies allow disabling their garbage, but FF does. > > Can't we be happy with this nice switch? I want my tools to keep working the way they have been working. I don't want to be paranoid that "garbage" (as you put it), or any other controversial changes, are going to be slipped into my tools while I'm not looking.
    • hn92726819 9mo ago
      There is something to be said about that. Firefox does keep inserting it's 'helpful features' like Pocket on users, which is very annoying. My point is just that everyone is so critical of Firefox, when the alternative is disproportionately, orders of magnitude worse for the user. I'd rather bash on minor Firefox grievances when it's the #1 browser, not when it's losing/lost the browser war and it's our last chance at browser engine diversity.
  • yeukhon 9mo ago
    You need to read again. Parent is asking opt-in, not opt-out. Firefox should have been doing opt-in
  • estimator7292 9mo ago
    You ever walk into the bathroom at work and find someone else's shit fully clogging the toilet that you now have to fix? That's why. It's perfectly within your capability to plunge someone else's shit down the toilet. It's not even difficult. Why can't you be happy with this solution? They gave you a plunger, it's not like you're clearing the toilet with your bare hands!
• neobrain 9mo ago
  Most of the features in the article are already opt-in. It's not like Firefox just automatically translates articles against your will, for example. Mozilla is mainly responding to inflammatory comments like yours by adding additional toggles to disable any sort of trace in the UI about those features even existing.