Mastodawn

Firefox's new 'Smart Window' mode is taking shape in development builds, so I had a play around in a beta build.

It revamped the browser UI to a prompt-based browsing experience, powered by your choice of LLM – OpenAI, Alibaba or Google – with your tabs, searches, questions and entire browsing history all handled on each company's servers...

https://www.omgubuntu.co.uk/2026/03/firefox-smart-window-hands-on?v1

#firefox #opensource

I tried Firefox's new AI 'Smart Window' in a beta build

Firefox's new AI-powered 'Smart Window' feature is taking shape in development builds – I gave it a hands on in the latest v149.0b7 beta (on macOS).

OMG! Ubuntu

@omgubuntu Mozilla claims that you can use a local LLM for AI Window: https://www.reddit.com/r/firefox/comments/1rri5e7/i_tried_firefoxs_new_ai_smart_window_in_a_beta/oa0q3ha/

But I found a forced login to Mozilla/Apple/Google accounts when I tried it.

omg! ubuntu Mar 13

@yoasif Yeah, I mention the local LLM option in the article. When I checked the box it showed the right fields, but a warning to say it won't work properly (if at all), so it feels a bit "what's the point then?". I don't have any kind of AI endpoint to test it with. Sort of surprised to see an account is needed to use a local LLM... But also, with /this/ Mozilla, not.

@omgubuntu I'm more concerned about the fact that I need to sign into an online account to access "local" functionality.

Also, really good work Joey -- been watching since you started OMG and it has been one of the best open source publications over the years. ❤️

GoatsLive Mar 13

@omgubuntu Just... NO!

Bart Veldhuizen 🚀Mar 13

@omgubuntu
"with your tabs, searches, questions and entire browsing history all handled on each company's servers..."

I'll control my own browsing experience, thank you.

@omgubuntu I'm sure glad Mozilla is funding this work and not something silly like memory management, what a waste that would be

@zbrown @omgubuntu Loved all of the memshrink blogs from back in the day: https://blog.mozilla.org/nnethercote/category/memshrink/

MemShrink – Nicholas Nethercote

Thanks, I hate it.

> The AI reads the top results (including any AI overview), and produces a response based on them

This in particular got to me, it just actively feeds on the slop to produce more slop right in front of your eyes. The future is now. @omgubuntu

DeathByDenim Mar 13

> If I wanted someone else to read the web on my behalf, parse what it says on topics I care about and then confidently BS to me about what’s happening, I’d go and watch YouTuber.

Ha, that was a pretty good one. 😆

omg! ubuntu Mar 16

@deathbydenim It was suh an obvious quip to make; I couldn't resist 🙈.

yafes_celebi Mar 14

@omgubuntu Firefox has given us yet another reason to stop using it. I'm gradually stopping using Firefox. :(

@omgubuntu I'm glad that Firefox has the big ai off switch. Let's hope in the future there will be enough left of Firefox to still be able to use it if you use that switch

Kerfuffle Mar 16

@omgubuntu
Just what nobody at all wanted. @mozilla lost the plot a while ago.

#firefox #opensource

HashRaydamon Mar 16

@omgubuntu that's gonna go down like a cup of cold sick

Adam Honse Mar 16

@omgubuntu Mozilla lost the plot a while ago. Who is asking for this nonsense? I am capable of browsing the web myself thank you very much.

UndeadLeech Mar 16

@omgubuntu Even if you 'like' AI, it is mind-boggling to me that the one browser that clearly isn't capable of building their own competitive AI model would go all-in on AI.

To me the logical step for building a better product would be trying to set themselves apart from the competition.

That said, considering they made the majority of their money with the Google search deal, I suspect they're trying to position themselves to do the same with AI. Never was about building the best product.

Tuxicoman Mar 16

Enslavement in plain sight :(

Michael Labowicz Mar 16

@omgubuntu still sticking with Firefox for some reason, but the minute this becomes the default I'm out