Mozilla has commenced the integration of a new AI-driven search feature using Perplexity. According to Windows Report, some users in version 139 of the browser have received notifications in the address bar.

When users attempt to make a query, they are prompted to use the Perplexity search engine. This notification appears as a pop-up, and users are given the option to opt out of the testing.

Unlike traditional search engines like Google and DuckDuckGo, Perplexity utilizes artificial intelligence to gather information from various sources to provide a comprehensive response to queries.

This move may indicate that Mozilla is seeking an alternative to Google, which has been the default search engine in Firefox for many years, contributing significantly to the company's revenue. Whether the testing with Perplexity will evolve into a full partnership remains uncertain. Other search engines like Bing, DuckDuckGo, and Wikipedia are also available in the browser.

It is important to note that earlier in May, Mozilla warned that without an agreement with Google, Firefox could face closure. The company's CFO, Eric Mühlheim, stated that legal decisions regarding Google's monopoly in the search engine market pose a threat to the browser's existence.

Unconfirmed reports suggest that Google pays browser developers around $400 million annually for the right to be the default search engine. Mühlheim also mentioned that this agreement accounts for approximately 85% of Firefox's revenue.