The Browser Is Becoming an AI Runtime

Browsers are becoming more than just rendering engines. They’re evolving into the orchestration layer that decides which AI systems retrieve information, summarize content, and interact with users. This session would explore how Firefox is designing Smart Window as an extensible AI layer that can evolve over time rather than locking users into a single provider. Exa would serve as a case study in how specialized AI services can plug into that architecture while maintaining strong privacy protections, including zero data retention. The conversation ultimately shifts from “Which model is best?” to “who controls the layer that decides which model gets used?”