Firefox Voice: An Open and Extensible Voice Assistant Built Upon the Web

TLDR

Voice assistants are reshaping how we access information, yet most still rely only on simple web search results. Firefox Voice is introduced as a new voice assistant that expands access to web information through the open web ecosystem. It is implemented as a browser extension that lets users issue voice commands to set timers, navigate the web, and have pages read aloud. Users report that Firefox Voice enables efficient completion of certain browsing tasks, but many struggle to discover its features and often discontinue use, underscoring the need for improved discoverability while opening the door to novel web‑powered voice experiences.

Abstract

Voice assistants are fundamentally changing the way we access information. However, voice assistants still leverage little about the web beyond simple search results. We introduce Firefox Voice, a novel voice assistant built on the open web ecosystem with an aim to expand access to information available via voice. Firefox Voice is a browser extension that enables users to use their voice to perform actions such as setting timers, navigating the web, and reading a webpage’s content aloud. Through an iterative development process and use by over 12,000 active users, we find that users see voice as a way to accomplish certain browsing tasks efficiently, but struggle with discovering functionality and frequently discontinue use. We conclude by describing how Firefox Voice enables the development of novel, open web-powered voice-driven experiences.