As artificial intelligence becomes increasingly integrated into web browsers and search engines, many users seek to reclaim their browsing experience by removing these features entirely. This report explores the multifaceted challenge of disabling AI overviews and related AI functionality in Mozilla Firefox, examining the technical methods available, the systemic barriers users face, and the broader implications of AI integration in browser technology. The task of removing AI features from Firefox involves navigating multiple layers of AI implementation, from Google’s AI-powered search summaries to Firefox’s own machine learning features embedded within the browser itself. Users have multiple effective options available, including modifying search engine settings through custom parameters, disabling Firefox’s built-in machine learning configurations via the about:config interface, installing specialized browser extensions, and in some cases switching to alternative search engines or browser implementations entirely. However, despite these solutions, significant challenges persist, including difficulty in discovering proper disable methods, settings that reset upon browser updates, incomplete removal of AI functionality, and the fundamental question of whether AI features should be opt-in rather than opt-out by default.
The Evolution of AI Integration in Firefox and Modern Web Browsing
The integration of artificial intelligence into web browsers represents a fundamental shift in how companies approach user experience and data monetization. Firefox, maintained by Mozilla Corporation, has increasingly adopted AI-driven features as part of a broader industry trend where major technology companies view browsers as ideal platforms for delivering AI services to users at scale. Understanding this context requires examining how search engines and browsers have evolved their relationship with artificial intelligence over the past few years.
Google Search introduced AI Overviews as a permanent feature within its search results, representing a significant departure from the traditional ten blue links paradigm that dominated search for decades. According to official statements from Google, AI Overviews cannot be disabled globally, though individual dismissals are possible on a temporary basis. This permanent implementation reflects Google’s strategic commitment to AI-powered search, regardless of user preferences. Meanwhile, Mozilla Firefox has pursued its own AI strategy, incorporating machine learning features directly into the browser experience alongside partnerships with various AI service providers. The divergence between these approaches creates a complex landscape where users must manage AI features on multiple fronts: Google’s search AI when using Google as a search engine within Firefox, and Firefox’s own built-in machine learning and AI chatbot features integrated into the browser itself.
The decision by major tech companies to make AI features opt-out rather than opt-in has generated substantial user frustration and resistance. Community discussions on Mozilla’s official forums reveal widespread disapproval of AI being enabled by default without explicit user consent. Users report that AI features reappear after being disabled, that settings reset with each browser update, and that there is no straightforward, discoverable method within the standard settings interface to remove AI functionality completely. This situation has prompted some long-time Firefox users to consider switching browsers, despite decades of loyalty to the platform. The technical implementation of these features appears intentionally difficult to disable, suggesting that companies prioritize maintaining user engagement with AI services over providing genuine user control.
Understanding Firefox’s Native AI Features and Their Architecture
Firefox contains multiple layers of AI functionality that operate independently of search engine integration. The browser’s machine learning components encompass AI chatbots, link preview features, page assist functionality, smart tab grouping, and context menu AI suggestions. Each of these features can theoretically be disabled individually through Firefox’s about:config settings page, though the comprehensive nature of the implementation means that thoroughly removing all AI functionality requires modifying numerous configuration values rather than a single master switch.
The primary Firefox AI components are controlled through configuration keys beginning with “browser.ml” (machine learning) and “extensions.ml”. The most central disable option is `browser.ml.enable`, which when set to false should theoretically disable machine learning across Firefox. However, users report that this single setting is often insufficient to remove all AI functionality from their browsing experience. A more thorough approach requires disabling multiple related settings: `browser.ml.chat.enabled` specifically addresses the AI chatbot sidebar feature, `browser.ml.linkPreview.enabled` controls the preview summaries that appear when hovering over links with shift key pressed, and `browser.ml.pageAssist.enabled` manages additional page-level AI assistance. Additional settings include `browser.tabs.groups.smart.enabled` and `browser.tabs.groups.smart.userEnabled` for smart tab grouping features.
The sidebar itself represents another vector through which AI integrates into Firefox. Firefox versions 133 and above include a redesigned sidebar that prominently features AI chatbot options. Users can select from multiple AI providers including Anthropic Claude, ChatGPT, Google Gemini, Le Chat Mistral, and Microsoft Copilot (in Firefox 143 and later). While these chatbots can be removed from the sidebar by unchecking the “AI Chatbot” box in the Customize Sidebar panel, this approach merely hides the interface rather than preventing the underlying functionality from consuming resources. The distinction between hiding and actually disabling represents a critical difference in user experience and resource consumption. Some users have observed that Firefox features like “Shake to Summarize” continue to be introduced as default-enabled features with each new version, creating a moving target for users attempting to maintain an AI-free browsing experience.
Disabling Google AI Overview in Firefox Search Results
One of the most immediate and visible AI implementations affecting Firefox users is Google’s AI Overview feature, which appears prominently at the top of Google search results. Unlike Firefox’s built-in features, Google AI Overviews are controlled by Google’s search algorithm and cannot be globally disabled through any official Google setting. However, multiple workarounds exist that effectively prevent these summaries from appearing in search results.
The most reliable and permanent method involves leveraging a specific URL parameter: `&udm=14`. This parameter tells Google’s search engine to display only traditional web results in the “Web” tab format, completely bypassing the AI Overview feature. The parameter works across all browsers and devices, making it a universal solution to the problem. The website udm14.com provides easy access to this functionality, offering a simple interface that automatically appends the parameter to all Google searches. Users who prefer not to rely on third-party services can implement this directly through Firefox’s custom search engine functionality.
Setting up a custom Google search engine without AI in Firefox involves several steps documented in multiple sources. Users must first enable the search shortcuts feature by accessing Firefox’s about:config page and enabling `browser.urlbar.update2.engineAliasRefresh`. Once enabled, users navigate to Firefox Settings and access Search Shortcuts under the search configuration options. Creating a new search engine entry requires specifying a descriptive name such as “Google without AI,” entering a keyboard shortcut (such as “gnai” or “web”), and most critically, providing the search URL with the udm=14 parameter: `https://www.google.com/search?client=firefox-b-1-d&channel=entpr&udm=14&q=%s`. After saving this custom search engine, users can set it as their default search engine, ensuring that all searches automatically bypass Google’s AI Overview feature.
The implementation of this workaround carries important implications. First, it works exclusively within Firefox and only for searches initiated from the browser’s address bar or search box. Accessing Google.com directly still displays AI Overviews unless users manually add the parameter to the URL or click the “Web” tab at the top of search results. Second, the parameter works because it explicitly directs Google to display the “Web” results view rather than the “All” results view that includes AI Overviews. This technical distinction reveals that Google’s implementation allows for disabling AI Overviews at the protocol level, contradicting Google’s claim that AI Overviews are a permanent, non-disableable feature. Third, some users have reported inconsistent results, with the parameter occasionally failing to work in certain circumstances, though these instances appear to be exceptions rather than the norm.
Disabling Firefox’s Built-in AI Features Through About:Config
The about:config interface represents Firefox’s advanced configuration system where users can access and modify hidden preference settings that control browser behavior. Accessing this interface requires typing “about:config” directly into the Firefox address bar, accepting a warning message about modifying settings, and then using the search field to locate specific preferences. This method provides direct control over Firefox’s machine learning features but requires technical knowledge and carries risks if incorrect values are entered.
The most comprehensive approach to disabling all Firefox AI functionality involves systematically disabling multiple related settings. The core settings requiring modification include `browser.ml.enable` (set to false), `browser.ml.chat.enabled` (set to false), `browser.ml.linkPreview.enabled` (set to false), `extensions.ml.enabled` (set to false), and the smart tab grouping settings `browser.tabs.groups.smart.enabled` and `browser.tabs.groups.smart.userEnabled` (both set to false). Additional settings that users have reported disabling include `sidebar.revamp` (set to false to disable the entire redesigned sidebar), `browser.ml.chat.menu`, `browser.ml.chat.page`, `browser.ml.chat.page.footerBadge`, `browser.ml.chat.page.menuBadge`, `browser.ml.chat.shortcuts`, `browser.ml.chat.sidebar`, and `browser.ml.pageAssist.enabled`.
However, a significant limitation exists with the about:config approach: settings frequently reset to their default values after browser updates. Users report that after installing new Firefox versions, previously disabled machine learning features become re-enabled, forcing users to repeatedly access about:config and reset these values. This behavior suggests either poor configuration management in Firefox’s update process or intentional design to re-enable features after each update. To address this persistent problem, advanced users have developed workarounds involving creating a user.js file in their Firefox profile directory. The user.js file contains explicit preference declarations that override Firefox’s default behavior across all updates. Creating this file requires accessing the Firefox profile folder through Help > More Troubleshooting Information > Profile Folder, then creating a text file named user.js that contains explicit preference declarations such as `user_pref(“browser.ml.chat.enabled”, false);` for each desired setting. While this approach requires technical knowledge and manual file editing, it provides permanent configuration that persists across browser updates.
Browser Extensions for AI Removal and Content Filtering
For users seeking more user-friendly approaches to disabling AI features, multiple Firefox extensions have been developed specifically to address this need. These extensions operate at different levels of the browser stack, some merely hiding AI elements visually while others prevent backend requests from being made entirely.
The “Disable AI Overviews” extension offers a lightweight solution specifically targeting Google’s AI Overview feature. This extension functions by appending the `udm=14` parameter to Google search queries, achieving the same result as the manual custom search engine method but automating the process. Users can toggle the extension on or off through the browser toolbar, providing granular control over when the feature applies. The extension’s code is open source and available on GitHub, allowing technically inclined users to review its implementation. However, like the custom search engine approach, this extension only affects searches initiated within Firefox and does not modify the behavior when accessing Google.com directly.
The “Disable AI” extension takes a more ambitious approach, targeting multiple search engines simultaneously. This extension aims to disable AI features across Google, DuckDuckGo, Ecosia, Brave Search, and Qwant. Notably, the extension’s developers emphasize that they do not merely hide AI results visually but prevent the backend requests that generate those results from being executed. This distinction is environmentally and ethically significant, as it prevents resource consumption by AI systems even when their output is not displayed to users. The extension explicitly acknowledges that AI systems consume substantial water and energy resources, and disabling them entirely rather than merely hiding them reduces environmental impact.
The “Hide Google AI Overviews” extension provides another specialized tool designed specifically for removing Google’s AI Overview summaries from search results. Like the other extensions, this approach is open source and available on GitHub for users concerned about code transparency and security. The extension automatically removes the AI-generated summary box from Google search results, presenting users with traditional web search results.
The “No-AI Search” extension represents a minimalist approach to AI removal, focusing on providing clean search results by removing AI-related blocks and distractions. This lightweight extension removes extra elements from search results without adding significant overhead to browser performance.
Beyond search-specific extensions, general-purpose content blocking tools like uBlock Origin provide users with the capability to remove specific page elements through custom filters. While uBlock Origin is primarily known as an ad blocker, it can be configured with custom CSS selectors to remove specific elements from pages, including AI Overviews. To remove Google AI Overviews using uBlock Origin, users access the extension’s dashboard, navigate to the “My filters” tab, and add a custom filter such as `google.com##div[jsname=”yDeuDf”]`. This approach requires users to identify and maintain the correct CSS selectors, which may change as Google modifies its search interface.
Alternative Search Engines and Their Approach to AI
Rather than disabling AI within Google Search or Firefox, many users opt to switch to alternative search engines that either lack AI features entirely or provide clearer controls for managing them. These alternatives represent a strategic shift away from Google’s ecosystem while addressing AI concerns directly through engine design rather than workarounds.
DuckDuckGo, a privacy-focused search engine, includes AI assist features that are enabled by default. However, DuckDuckGo provides direct settings controls for disabling these features through the Settings menu, making it more user-friendly than Google’s approach. Users access DuckDuckGo’s settings, navigate to AI Features, and disable each AI-powered feature individually. The ability to control AI features through a standard settings interface rather than requiring about:config manipulation or custom search engines represents a user-experience improvement that some users find sufficient to justify switching search engines.
Brave Search, integrated into the Brave browser, offers a unified approach to AI blocking through its Shields feature. Brave has implemented anti-search filters that block AI-generated answers and other AI elements from multiple search engines including Google, Microsoft Bing, and Brave Search itself. Users access these controls through Brave’s Settings, navigate to Shields, and enable the “anti search filters” content filtering option. This implementation demonstrates that browsers can provide comprehensive, discoverable controls for AI features rather than requiring users to discover technical workarounds.
Kagi represents a premium alternative that takes a different approach to search by offering a clean, ad-free interface that generates revenue through subscription rather than behavioral advertising. Kagi search results provide no AI summaries unless explicitly requested by users, addressing AI concerns through a different business model rather than technical blocking. Users can additionally use Kagi’s browser extension for Firefox to set it as their default search engine and benefit from automatic login in private browsing windows.
Other alternatives mentioned in user communities include Startpage, which offers Google search results stripped of tracking and AI elements, SearXNG and similar federated metasearch engines that compile results from multiple sources without AI summaries, Brave Search as a standalone search engine with its own index, and specialized privacy-focused engines like Mojeek. The proliferation of these alternatives suggests a market opportunity created by user dissatisfaction with AI integration in mainstream search engines.
Advanced Configuration Methods and Enterprise Policies
For users managing multiple computers or organizations seeking to enforce consistent browser configurations across their infrastructure, Firefox policies provide a more robust solution than individual about:config modifications. Firefox policies allow administrators to specify browser configurations that apply to all user profiles on a system and persist across updates, addressing the problem of settings resetting after version upgrades.
The Firefox Enterprise Policy mechanism uses a policies.json file placed in a distribution folder within the Firefox installation directory. This file contains JSON-formatted preferences that override user-level settings system-wide. Creating a policies.json file requires creating a distribution folder in the same directory as the Firefox executable, creating the policies.json file within that folder, and populating it with preference declarations. The file syntax follows a specific format that Mozilla documents in its policy templates documentation.
The Mozilla policy templates documentation provides detailed guidance on which preferences can be controlled through policies. The Enterprise Policy Generator add-on provides a user interface for creating policy files without manual JSON editing, making this approach more accessible to less technical users. While policies offer system-wide configuration options, they still require either administrative access during Firefox installation or modification of system files after installation, limiting their applicability for standard users running Firefox on personal computers.
Systemic Challenges and Limitations of Current Approaches
Despite the availability of multiple technical methods for disabling AI features, users encounter persistent obstacles that undermine the effectiveness and permanence of these solutions. These challenges reflect fundamental tensions between user control and company objectives regarding AI integration.
The resetting of about:config settings after browser updates represents one of the most frustrating limitations. Users report investing time in accessing about:config, identifying relevant settings, and disabling them, only to discover that subsequent Firefox updates re-enable these features. This behavior suggests either negligent configuration management or intentional design to restore AI features after updates. The result undermines user confidence that their configuration choices will persist and creates recurring maintenance requirements.
The incomplete disabling of AI functionality compounds the resetting problem. Even after disabling `browser.ml.chat.enabled` and other primary machine learning settings, users report that AI-related context menu options persist. Mozilla has acknowledged bugs where the “Ask an AI Chatbot” context menu continues to display even when machine learning is disabled. This indicates gaps in Firefox’s configuration logic where disabling one AI component does not prevent all related UI elements from appearing.
The complexity of identifying which settings require modification presents an accessibility barrier. Firefox provides no centralized interface for managing AI features; instead, users must discover and manually modify individual settings buried in about:config. This approach is unsuitable for non-technical users and results in many users being unaware that these configuration options exist. Mozilla’s decision to force users into advanced configuration interfaces rather than providing discoverable settings UI elements represents a usability failure that contradicts Firefox’s positioning as a browser focused on user choice and privacy.
The lack of a master toggle creates additional frustration. Users request a single master switch—either in the settings UI or as a single about:config preference—that would disable all AI functionality globally. Instead, Firefox requires modifying numerous individual settings to achieve comprehensive AI removal. This fragmentation suggests that Firefox’s machine learning integration lacks coherent architecture and that different teams implemented AI features without coordinating on shared configuration mechanisms.
The fundamental question of opt-in versus opt-out implementation underlies these technical challenges. Users broadly expect that novel, resource-intensive features should be opt-in rather than opt-out, particularly when those features may raise privacy concerns or conflict with user preferences. Mozilla’s decision to enable AI features by default and force users to discover about:config to disable them contradicts this expectation and community sentiment.
The Broader Browser Ecosystem and Alternative Approaches
The challenges of disabling AI in Firefox must be understood within the context of broader browser choices and alternative implementations. While Firefox remains a viable option for privacy-conscious users, the increasing integration of AI features has prompted some users to evaluate other browsers that either resist AI integration or provide clearer controls.
Brave Browser represents an alternative Chromium-based browser that has implemented comprehensive AI controls without sacrificing functionality. Brave includes built-in content blocking and anti-tracking features, provides toggles for AI features through standard settings interfaces, and implements Brave Shields with anti-search filters that block AI-generated content across multiple search engines. For users already considering switching browsers, Brave offers these controls without requiring about:config manipulation.
The Servo project represents a more experimental alternative being developed as a Rust-based browser rendering engine. Servo aims to provide a lightweight, high-performance alternative to Chromium-based browsers and could eventually serve as the foundation for future browsers seeking independence from Google’s browser engine dominance. While Servo remains in early development and is not yet suitable for everyday browsing, it represents the technical possibility of browser alternatives that diverge fundamentally from Chromium’s architecture.
LibreWolf, Waterfox, and similar Firefox derivatives take a different approach by starting with Firefox’s codebase and removing or disabling features that conflict with privacy or user control. These browsers offer pre-configured privacy and anti-AI settings without requiring users to manually modify about:config. For users committed to Firefox-based browsing but frustrated with configuration complexity, Firefox derivatives may provide a viable middle ground.
Ungoogled-Chromium represents the most radical alternative for users willing to sacrifice Google integration in exchange for a Chromium-based browser free of Google’s dependencies and AI features. Users can install Ungoogled-Chromium through package managers like Homebrew and configure it with alternative search engines and extensions, though the initial setup requires more technical knowledge than using mainstream browsers.
Environmental and Ethical Implications of AI Feature Disabling
The decision to disable AI features extends beyond personal preference into environmental and ethical considerations. The “Disable AI” extension explicitly acknowledges that AI systems consume substantial quantities of water and energy resources during their operation. By preventing AI requests from being executed rather than merely hiding their results, users can reduce resource consumption and environmental impact. This perspective positions AI disabling as an environmentally conscious choice rather than mere feature removal.
The resource consumption of AI systems has received increasing attention from researchers and environmentalists concerned about sustainability. Large language models and AI inference systems require substantial computational power, cooling, and electrical energy. The cumulative environmental impact of AI systems operating across billions of user interactions multiplies these costs significantly. Users concerned about environmental impact have legitimate reasons to disable AI features even if they might otherwise find them useful, making the availability of effective disabling mechanisms an environmental issue.
Ethical concerns about AI also motivate feature disabling. Questions regarding whether AI training on copyrighted material without permission constitutes intellectual property violation, whether AI-generated content represents genuine information or statistical hallucinations, and whether AI systems perpetuate biases present in training data remain unresolved. Users uncomfortable with these unresolved questions may reasonably choose to avoid using AI features until these issues receive satisfactory resolution. The forced integration of AI into browsers and search engines removes this choice from users, creating a coercive situation where users must either accept AI or invest effort in discovering disabling mechanisms.
Recommendations and Path Forward
Based on the current state of AI integration in Firefox and available disabling methods, users seeking to remove AI features face a complex decision landscape balancing effectiveness, technical knowledge requirements, and permanence of solutions. For users with limited technical knowledge, switching to privacy-focused alternative search engines like DuckDuckGo or Kagi provides immediate relief from Google’s AI Overviews without requiring about:config manipulation. These alternatives demonstrate that search engines can successfully operate without AI Overviews, contradicting the assumption that AI integration is necessary or inevitable.
For users committed to Firefox but frustrated by AI integration, using the custom search engine approach with the `&udm=14` parameter provides a reliable solution for Google searches specifically. This approach avoids about:config entirely and requires minimal technical knowledge beyond following step-by-step instructions. Installing one of the specialized browser extensions like “Disable AI Overviews” automates this process and removes the need for manual configuration.
Users with greater technical comfort can implement comprehensive about:config modifications to disable Firefox’s built-in machine learning features. The most thorough approach involves creating a user.js file in the Firefox profile directory to ensure that settings persist across browser updates. This approach requires accessing the profile folder and editing files but provides permanent configuration that updates cannot override.
For organizations or users managing multiple computers, Firefox policies represent the most robust long-term solution, though they require administrative access or system-level file modification. Users should consult Mozilla’s official policy documentation and consider using the Enterprise Policy Generator add-on to simplify the policy creation process.
Ultimately, the most direct solution to browser AI integration challenges may be to advocate for Mozilla and other browser vendors to implement single, centralized, discoverable controls for AI features rather than forcing users into advanced configuration interfaces. Browser vendors should treat AI features as optional enhancements requiring explicit user opt-in rather than forced default-enabled functionality. The current situation—where users must discover about:config settings to remove unwanted features—represents a failure of user experience design and contradicts the stated commitment of companies like Mozilla to user choice and privacy.
Embracing Your AI-Free Firefox Experience
Disabling AI Overview and AI features in Firefox represents a complex technical challenge that requires understanding multiple layers of AI implementation, from Google’s search integration to Firefox’s built-in machine learning functionality. Users have multiple effective options available, ranging from simple custom search engine configuration to comprehensive about:config modifications and browser extension installation. However, these solutions exist only because users must discover and implement them independently; the browser vendors themselves provide no straightforward, discoverable mechanisms for comprehensive AI disabling.
The proliferation of technical workarounds necessary to remove AI features reflects a fundamental misalignment between user preferences and technology company objectives. Surveys and community discussions consistently demonstrate that substantial user populations prefer to disable AI features entirely. Yet major technology companies persist in implementing these features as mandatory, default-enabled functionality, forcing users to invest effort in discovering disabling mechanisms that these companies do not actively document or support.
The availability of alternative search engines like DuckDuckGo, Kagi, and Brave Search demonstrates that successful search experiences remain possible without AI Overviews, contradicting claims that AI integration represents technical necessity rather than strategic choice. The existence of Firefox derivatives and alternative browsers like Brave that handle AI controls more transparently shows that implementation approaches exist beyond the current model. The emerging Servo browser project suggests that fundamental alternatives to Chromium-based and traditional Firefox architectures may eventually provide additional choices for users seeking to avoid AI integration.
For the immediate term, users seeking to disable AI in Firefox should prioritize solutions matching their technical comfort and permanence requirements: alternative search engines for simple solutions, custom Firefox search engines or extensions for moderate complexity, comprehensive about:config modifications for thorough feature disabling, and Firefox policies for organizational or multi-computer configurations. However, long-term resolution of browser AI integration challenges requires technology companies to respect user autonomy by implementing AI features as optional, easily disableable, opt-in functionality rather than mandatory default-enabled systems that force users into advanced configuration interfaces. Until this fundamental shift in approach occurs, users will continue requiring technical knowledge to assert control over their browsing experience—a situation that undermines both user experience and the stated mission of browsers like Firefox to empower user choice and protect privacy.
