Mozilla is taking its initial official step toward AI-enhanced search in Firefox. As part of a new trial, Perplexity AI is now available as an optional search engine directly in the browser’s address bar. Here’s how you can test it out.
### A trial running in select countries, but with a global workaround
As reported by Windows Report, the integration remains in the preliminary stages. Perplexity won’t be your default search engine just yet, but Firefox users in selected countries can now choose it from the unified search button that appears when entering a query.
Mozilla characterizes Perplexity as an engine that aims to provide direct, conversational responses, positioning it in the same emerging category as Google’s AI Overviews.
Interestingly, instead of issuing a formal announcement on its blog, Mozilla discreetly acknowledged the experiment in a thread on its Connect community forum.
Currently, the trial is officially restricted to users in the U.S., U.K., and Germany, but anyone can manually include Perplexity as a search option with this straightforward workaround:
1. Launch Firefox and navigate to perplexity.ai.
2. Input a search query in the Firefox address bar, but refrain from pressing Return.
3. When the dropdown suggestions show, choose the “Search with Perplexity” option.
4. After conducting a few searches this way, Firefox should prompt you to add Perplexity as a saved search engine.
5. After adding it, you’ll also receive a new @perplexity keyword shortcut for quicker searches.
### Mozilla intensifies its AI feature trials
Mozilla states that this initiative is part of an experiment assessing how users perceive AI-driven search engines within Firefox. This indicates that additional AI-powered options may follow based on feedback, which the company has begun to pursue in recent weeks.
Are you a Firefox user? Are you open to making Perplexity your default search engine? Share your thoughts in the comments.
