Mozilla has launched a new feature called AI Window, an optional mode inside Firefox that lets users interact with an AI assistant without relying on a single provider.
The feature appears as a third browsing option alongside regular and private windows, and users can activate it manually. Mozilla says the goal is to give people more agency over how AI is used inside the browser and avoid the model-lock-in approach taken by major competitors.
According to Mozilla’s documentation, the AI Window will let users select from multiple models, including third-party and open models, depending on availability.
Once enabled, it opens a dedicated space where users can ask questions, get page summaries, request explanations or run simple research tasks while browsing.
The design reflects Mozilla’s broader philosophy: keep the browser open, transparent and user-controlled. Rather than push a default assistant into every tab, the AI Window sits as an optional workspace that users can call up when they need it.
How The AI Window Works
Inside the AI Window, users can enter natural-language prompts that relate to the page they are viewing or the task they are performing.
Mozilla says the assistant can summarise long pages, help compare content across tabs, draft text or suggest follow-up sources. It builds on smaller AI tools Mozilla experimented with over the year, including the “Shake to Summarise” feature on iOS that generated quick text overviews.
The new mode is also designed to be flexible. Mozilla claims it will support a range of models and formats, and that none of the AI features are activated automatically.
Users must opt in, choose a model and approve the assistant before any data is shared. Mozilla emphasises that the AI Window aligns with its privacy standards and does not override existing tracking-protection features.
Browser-Based AI
Browsers have become the next competitive surface for AI integration. Google is deploying AI directly into Chrome, Microsoft pairs Edge with Copilot, and smaller players are embedding real-time assistants into navigation and tab-management tools.
Mozilla’s approach stands apart because of its insistence on giving users meaningful choice. In an era when many AI assistants are tied to a single company’s model, Mozilla is promoting a marketplace-style approach where users can switch as they prefer.
This distinguishes Firefox at a time when its global market share is under pressure. Offering an AI mode that respects user privacy and choice could help Mozilla rebuild relevance with developers, researchers and power users who value openness over default automation.
What Will Shape Adoption
Mozilla will be watching how users interact with the AI Window, how often they switch models and what tasks they perform most frequently.
For the wider industry, the experiment raises a question: will users prefer a tightly integrated AI assistant or an optional space where they choose their own model?
If adoption grows, Mozilla may expand the catalogue of supported AI models and refine how permissions and data boundaries are displayed. The release also arrives ahead of Mozilla’s continuing AI-related projects through its Mozilla.ai initiative, which focuses on building trustworthy AI systems.
The next phase will show whether AI becomes a standard part of Firefox or remains a specialised tool for certain workflows. Either outcome will provide insight into how users want AI to appear inside the modern browser.
