Support us on Patreon
PayPalMozilla are leaning even more into AI, with the announcement today of Thunderbolt - their open-source and self-hostable AI client. The AI madness will continue until morale improves the world burns.
Mozilla say it's designed as a "sovereign AI client" where you can interact with AI via chat, search, and research, connect to enterprise data, and choose the models and tools yourself. Mozilla (specifically MZLA Technologies Corporation) have partnered with deepset a Berlin-based AI infrastructure company behind the popular open-source Haystack agent framework for this to work.
“AI is too important to outsource. With Thunderbolt, we’re giving organizations a sovereign AI client that allows them to decide how AI fits into their workflows – on their infrastructure, with their data, and on their terms.”Ryan Sipes, CEO of MZLA Technologies Corporation
This is mainly aimed at organisations though, rather than basic consumers like you and me. Mozilla says it allows orgs to:
- Run AI with their choice of models, from leading commercial providers to open-source and local models
- Connect to systems and data: Integrate with pipelines and open protocols, including deepset’s Haystack platform, Model Context Protocol (MCP) servers, and agents with the Agent Client Protocol (ACP)
- Automate workflows and recurring tasks: Generate daily briefings, monitor topics, compile reports, or trigger actions based on events and schedules
- Work seamlessly across devices with native applications for Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, and Android
- Maintain security with self-hosted deployment, optional end-to-end encryption, and device-level access controls
See more in the announcement.
At least if various forms of AI are going to be forced upon us all, it should all be open source. They really need to work on their naming though. Thunderbolt is already a thing, a well-known thing in tech.
What do you make of Mozilla's new AI move?
Article taken from GamingOnLinux.com.
About the author - Liam Dawe
I am the owner of GamingOnLinux. After discovering Linux back in the days of Mandrake in 2003, I constantly checked on the progress of Linux until Ubuntu appeared on the scene and it helped me to really love it. You can reach me easily by emailing GamingOnLinux directly.
See more from me
See more from me
Some you may have missed, popular articles from the last month:
You can also find comments for this article on social media: All posts need to follow our rules. Please hit the Report Flag icon on any post that breaks the rules or contains illegal / harmful content. Readers can also email us for any issues or concerns.
13 comments
No. No more.
7 Likes
I mean... yeah, this is probably how this madness should have started a couple of years ago, instead of dumping everything into 3rd party "AI" companies, it should have been on-premise and openly developed, but I also think this is too little, too late now.
This won't have a marketing hype machine behind it - which is largely what's still driving the bubble - so I don't know how far this will get.
This won't have a marketing hype machine behind it - which is largely what's still driving the bubble - so I don't know how far this will get.
1 Likes
Quoting: dpanterWhy. 🤮I think the idea is fine: stop giving your data to "AI" companies that keep promising magical capabilities with no real-world data to back it up, and host it yourself.
However, when "AI" is self-hosted, I think the generally negative cost-to-benefit ratio of the whole thing becomes even more apparent, and there's no social media pressure to "just use this model instead, bro, I swear it's better, pinky-promise you're missing out / falling behind / won't get to hang with the cool kids".
1 Likes
Look everyone! We're still relevant! I swear! Where's everyone going? Hey look we have AI now???? PLEASE. PLEASE.
2 Likes
AllyTheProtogen 6 hours ago
Honestly, at what point is it easier to just go "Fine!✋🤚" and sit back while watching the world fall apart under it's own idiocracy? I don't mean start using AI, mind you, no no no. I just mean sitting down and watching people realise how much they've screwed themselves over by becoming complacent. There's literally no such thing as ethical AI, and there never will be. It's just gonna be a long fucking time until people realise that.
Of course, do keep fighting this shit, it shouldn't exist. But I constantly ask myself that question every day.
Of course, do keep fighting this shit, it shouldn't exist. But I constantly ask myself that question every day.
2 Likes
Quoting: spiffykWell, at least they don't have an anus for the logo.Ainus
2 Likes
walther von stolzing 6 hours ago
Thunderbolt is already a thing, a well-known thing in tech.Yeah, not only that, but my mind went to Mozilla's other (?!) Thunderb*** immediately -- 'are they changing Thunderbird's name? Is this a typo? Is this a chatbot inside Thunderbird? Is Thunderbird going to force-summarize my emails from now on?', etc.
Last edited by walther von stolzing on 16 Apr 2026 at 2:46 pm UTC
4 Likes
Is it more or less ridiculous than the shoe company pivoting to AI datacenters?
And Thunderbolt? Really?
I'm more and more glad that I stopped donating to Mozilla. Which still feel weird to say.
And Thunderbolt? Really?
I'm more and more glad that I stopped donating to Mozilla. Which still feel weird to say.
1 Likes
Quoting: walther von stolzingPlease don't give them any more ideas!Thunderbolt is already a thing, a well-known thing in tech.Yeah, not only that, but my mind went to Mozilla's other (?!) Thunderb*** immediately -- 'are they changing Thunderbird's name? Is this a typo? Is this a chatbot inside Thunderbird? Is Thunderbird going to force-summarize my emails from now on?', etc.
0 Likes
AdherentOfLinuxTechnomancy 2 hours ago
I think Mozilla need to just stop it already with the LLMs, LLMs aren't the infinite moneymaker they thought it would be. They aren't going to be fetch because techbros rushed gassed up LLMs to market and dressed them up in name only to be "AI". It just shows me that Mozilla has lost their way, lost in the dark and in need of a guiding light to bring them back to their core principles. Before their products are relegated to the past like Netscape, Internet Explorer and other dead browsers. I've already stopped using anything Mozilla and deleted my account because the trust is broken.
If only Mozilla took Vivaldi's approach to LLMs and rejected them until they can be ethically sourced, and cause no harm to the environment or livelihoods of human beings! Which is probably never, because techbros want to create a torment nexus instead of something genuinely helpful to human beings and the world.
If only Mozilla took Vivaldi's approach to LLMs and rejected them until they can be ethically sourced, and cause no harm to the environment or livelihoods of human beings! Which is probably never, because techbros want to create a torment nexus instead of something genuinely helpful to human beings and the world.
1 Likes
How to setup OpenMW for modern Morrowind on Linux / SteamOS and Steam Deck
How to install Hollow Knight: Silksong mods on Linux, SteamOS and Steam Deck