DuckDuckGo pitches itself to schools amid backlash over Google’s AI policy
techcrunch ·
DuckDuckGo is actively pitching its services to educational institutions following a controversial policy change by Google regarding AI integration in schools. After Google announced that while the Gemini AI tool could be disabled, turning off other AI features would result in losing access to Google Search, DuckDuckGo seized the opportunity to position itself as a privacy-focused alternative. The company’s leadership criticized Google for effectively forcing AI on students and highlighted their own flexible settings that allow users to completely disable AI features. Unlike Google, which uses AI extensively in search results, DuckDuckGo offers dedicated modes and websites where AI-generated content is turned off entirely. This strategic move comes amid growing public skepticism about AI data centers and increasing demand from educators for tools that remove AI from the learning process. DuckDuckGo has already seen a 30% increase in app installs as users seek alternatives to what they perceive as forced AI adoption. By providing documentation and direct support for switching default search engines, the company aims to capture market share in the education sector where Google currently dominates.
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