Alex Kontos, founder of Waterfox, a privacy-focused, performance-oriented modification of Firefox, stated that in the foreseeable future, the Waterfox project will not integrate functionalities utilizing large language models, at least not in the form they are developing in Firefox. This refers to the use of large language models that affect the browser's behavior and perform actions on behalf of the user. Local application of machine learning systems, for example, for translation from one language to another, is acceptable.
Alex believes that Mozilla is making a fundamental mistake by intending to turn Firefox into an AI browser. He understands that Mozilla wants to strengthen its market position and maintain functional parity with competing browsers that are actively implementing AI. However, by trying to cater to the average users and the mass market, which is already occupied by Chrome, Mozilla makes Firefox less appealing to advanced users, developers, and technical specialists who make up the core of its current audience.
According to Alex, one reason for the decline in Firefox's market share has been the introduction of features unnecessary for its main audience. Mozilla claims to uphold trust, transparency, and user freedom, yet it implements technologies that undermine all these principles. Instead of allowing users to have complete control over their browsing experience, Mozilla intends to introduce an opaque AI layer that becomes an additional intermediary between the user and the browser.
The large language models underlying such a layer are a 'black box' that performs actions on behalf of the user but does not allow an analysis of behavior and data processing methods. This creates a situation where AI decides how and what to show the user, yet the logic behind these decisions cannot be investigated or understood.
Mənbə: opennet.ru
