DuckDuckGo leans further into GenAI as its AI chat interface exits beta

DuckDuckGo, the private search engine, is diving deeper into the world of generative AI. The non-tracking search engine has been exploring the use of AI in its product for the past year, with the launch of a chatbot-style interface last fall, now known simply as Duck.ai. The service is now out of beta and offers users AI-generated answers to their search queries in a conversational style.

Users of Duck.ai can access AI models from Anthropic, OpenAI, and Meta, including models like OpenAI’s o3-mini and Meta’s Llama 3.3. While access to Duck.ai is currently free, there is a daily limit on queries, with the possibility of a paid plan in the future for higher limits and more advanced chat models.

In addition to Duck.ai, DuckDuckGo is incorporating GenAI into its traditional search engine interface, showing AI-assisted answers in response to queries. Users have the option to choose the frequency of AI-generated answers in their search results, with options ranging from “sometimes” to “never”.

DuckDuckGo is emphasizing privacy in its use of GenAI, offering users access to major AI tools without the need to sign up for an account with a large tech company. The company ensures that chats on Duck.ai are anonymized and not used for AI model training.

To make it easier for users to integrate GenAI into their search experience, DuckDuckGo allows for seamless switching between its conventional search engine interface and the AI chat interface. A chat button below the search box enables users to quickly transition between the two modes.

DuckDuckGo has expanded its AI-assisted answers to include sources beyond Wikipedia, providing users with more information about the sources of the AI-generated content. The company also offers a “Recent Chats” feature that stores conversations with the AI interface locally on the user’s device.

Overall, DuckDuckGo is aiming to provide users with access to GenAI tools in a privacy-focused manner, giving them control over their AI experience while ensuring data protection and anonymity.