DuckDuckGo is the latest search engine to trial a generative AI feature.
The "DuckAssist" AI tool, now in beta, is powered by technology from ChatGPT creator OpenAI and AI startup Anthropic.
Using AI, the privacy-focused search engine can generate answers to queries using natural language tech.
- Users click on a blue "Ask" button, and the AI service will deliver summarized information mostly from Wikipedia but occasionally similar sources such as Encyclopedia Britannica.
- The answers are more conversational and often contain more information without showing multiple links.
- According to founder Gabe Weinberg, DuckDuckGo is using OpenAI's Davinci model and Anthropic Claude models to generate the natural language summaries.
- DuckAssist beta is currently free to use in the search engine's mobile apps and browser extension, with no login required.
If the trial goes well, AI could be added to its web-based search engine at a later date.
- The capability is "the first in a series of generative AI-assisted features we hope to roll out in the coming months," Weinberg said.
