Mozilla CEO Anthony Enzor-DeMeo has gone on record with the goal of becoming the world’s most trusted software company. The new CEO provided an introduction via Mozilla’s blog (via Phoronix) yesterday, explaining how AI can be a useful tool but must be handled responsibly, and how trust is a defining factor for those who use Firefox, as not everyone is adept enough to understand AI’s risks.
” AI was already reshaping how people search, shop, and make decisions in ways that were hard to see and even harder to understand. I saw how easily people could lose their footing in experiences that feel personal but operate in ways that are anything but clear.”
– Anthony Enzor-DeMeo, Mozilla CEO
The Mozilla Executive is focused not just on seeing Firefox move forward with AI, which he clearly indicates should be something that users should have the choice to turn on or off, but also on Mozilla moving forward to become a trusted source of software. Firefox has long held the trust of those concerned with privacy and the data mining tactics employed by other browsers, and Enzor-DeMeo wants to ensure Mozilla and Firefox do not fail that trust.
“People want software that is fast, modern, but also honest about what it does. They want to understand what’s happening and to have real choices.
Mozilla and Firefox can be that choice.
Few companies share our strengths. People trust our brand. Firefox brings us global reach. Our teams know how to build reliable, independent software at scale, and our business model puts the user first.
As Mozilla moves forward, we will focus on becoming the trusted software company. This is not a slogan. It is a direction that guides how we build and how we grow. It means three things.”
– Anthony Enzor-DeMeo, Mozilla CEO
A three-layered framework was revealed regarding Mozilla’s future. In it, the new CEO emphasizes that Firefox is to expand beyond being a browser but also a software suite aligned with trust, transparency with monetization, and how user data is handled.
- First: Every product we build must give people agency in how it works. Privacy, data use, and AI must be clear and understandable. Controls must be simple. AI should always be a choice — something people can easily turn off. People should know why a feature works the way it does and what value they get from it.
- Second: our business model must align with trust. We will grow through transparent monetization that people recognize and value.
- Third: Firefox will grow from a browser into a broader ecosystem of trusted software. Firefox will remain our anchor. It will evolve into a modern AI browser and support a portfolio of new and trusted software additions.
Enzor-DeMeo also emphasizes that the non-profit must still maintain its fiscal solvency through not only investing in AI development but also growing Firefox beyond just being a browser.
“We will measure our progress against a double bottom line. Our work must advance our mission and succeed in the market. In the next three years, that means investing in AI that reflects the Mozilla Manifesto. It means diversifying revenue beyond search.”
– Anthony Enzor-DeMeo, Mozilla CEO
For those unaware, Firefox celebrated its 20th anniversary in 2024 following its launch in 2004.