DuckDuckGo pitches itself to schools amid backlash over Google's AI policy

DuckDuckGo is pitching itself to schools after Google told schools they could turn off Gemini but said shutting off its other AI features would also remove Google Search. The privacy-focused search company says Google could easily turn off Search's AI features for schools if it wanted to. The move comes amid backlash over Google's AI policy in education.

Google's announcement and response

On Tuesday, Google told schools they could turn off Gemini, but said shutting off its other AI features would cost schools Google Search as well. After backlash, Google defended its decision and said it was responding to schools' feedback. It said Gemini, Gemini Notebook, and Search would be off by default, and schools could choose to enable them individually.

Google Search now heavily uses AI through AI Overviews and a conversational AI Mode that answers users' queries. Google has also developed "Guided Learning," technology meant to help kids learn by walking through problem-solving steps rather than just providing an answer. Educators are still asking for tools that let them remove AI from the learning process altogether.

DuckDuckGo's pitch and features

DuckDuckGo, which focuses on user privacy by limiting data collection, sees the moment as a chance to make inroads in education, where Google has historically dominated. According to figures Google has published in previous years, there are around 50 million Chromebooks in schools and Google Classroom serves over 150 million users globally. On X, DuckDuckGo founder and CEO Gabriel Weinberg pointed to online documentation explaining how schools can switch their default search engine to DuckDuckGo, adding "get in touch for help." Chief public affairs officer Kamyl Bazbaz wrote that forcing AI on school children is how a monopolist behaves when they think people are powerless, adding "Prove Google wrong."

DuckDuckGo is not anti-AI and offers its own features, including a chat interface called Duck.ai and an AI search assistant. Unlike Google, it provides options to disable these features in both its search and browser settings, and it offers noai.duckduckgo.com, where AI-assisted answers, AI-generated images, and AI feature suggestions are all turned off. The company reported earlier this year that its app installs were up 30% as users rejected being force-fed Google's AI Search.

Broader context

The company's comments come as the American public weighs how much AI it wants in daily life. As Tuesday night's elections indicate, many do not want AI data centers built in their towns. Using AI at work and school has become common and requires a more nuanced discussion.

Sources: TechCrunch