DuckDuckGo, the company known for its privacy-focused search engine, has officially released its AI features from beta testing, introducing key upgrades. These AI features remain optional and free to use, allowing users to decide whether they want to engage with them.
One of the most significant updates is access to multiple AI chatbots through Duck.ai, formerly known as DuckDuckGo AI Chat. Initially launched in 2024, this feature provided access to well-known AI models like OpenAI’s GPT-3.5 Turbo, Anthropic’s Claude 3 Haiku, and Meta Llama 3.
Duck.ai Expands Chatbot Models While Strengthening User Privacy and Data Protection
With the official launch, Duck.ai now supports upgraded chatbot models, including OpenAI’s GPT-4o mini and o3-mini, Anthropic’s Claude 3 Haiku, and open-source models like Meta Llama 3.3 and Mistral Small 3. A new feature allows users to store their recent chats locally on their devices, enabling them to revisit past conversations.
Privacy remains a top concern, as a 2024 KPMG survey found that while more than half of users are excited about AI tools, 63% worry about cybersecurity and privacy risks. Many AI chatbots typically collect user data, creating potential vulnerabilities for misuse by cybercriminals.
DuckDuckGo Expands AI Features with Enhanced Chatbots and Privacy-Focused Search ToolsAddressing privacy concerns, DuckDuckGo ensures that personal metadata is stripped from chatbot interactions, making them untraceable to users. While chat histories are stored locally, external AI providers may temporarily retain chats for processing but must delete them within 30 days.
The company has agreements in place to limit how AI providers can use this data, ensuring it does not contribute to AI training. By prioritizing privacy, DuckDuckGo aims to offer AI-powered tools without compromising user security.
DuckDuckGo Enhances AI Assist While Competing with Google’s Expanding AI Features
Alongside Duck.ai, DuckDuckGo has also refined its AI-powered Assist feature, formerly called DuckAssist. Initially, this tool pulled information primarily from Wikipedia, but now it sources answers from across the internet. These updates arrive as Google expands AI features in its search engine, integrating AI overviews and its Gemini 2.0 model.
While AI-generated responses can be useful, experts like Tshilidzi Marwala, the rector of the United Nations University, warn that AI models predict outcomes based on existing data rather than providing factual certainty. Recognizing this, DuckDuckGo includes source citations alongside Assist-generated answers to enhance reliability and avoid misinformation.
DuckDuckGo’s AI features remain free to use without requiring an account, though daily chat limits apply. The company is considering a paid tier to provide users with access to additional AI models and higher chat limits.
Users who prefer not to engage with AI features can disable them in the search settings or adjust how frequently Assist provides answers. These updates reflect DuckDuckGo’s ongoing commitment to enhancing AI-powered search while maintaining its core focus on user privacy and data security.
