DuckDuckGo has introduced an AI feature that allows users to ask follow-up questions through its Duck.ai chatbot, emphasizing user privacy without requiring an account.

The Duck.ai chatbot utilizes advanced models including GPT-4o mini, OpenAI's o3-mini, Meta's Llama 3.3, Mistral Small 3, and Claude 3 Haiku from Anthropic.

Previously reliant on Wikipedia for answers, DuckDuckGo now sources information from the entire web, enhancing the relevance and variety of responses.

While DuckDuckGo's revenue model is based on advertising, it offers less targeted ads than competitors due to its strong privacy policies.

The company aims to integrate search and chat functionalities into a single app, setting itself apart from competitors who are developing separate AI chatbot applications.

CEO Gabriel Weinberg has emphasized a cautious approach to AI integration, focusing on enhancing user experience without overwhelming users with AI responses.

DuckDuckGo's AI responses are less frequent and displayed in a less prominent 'Assist' box compared to competitors like Google and Bing.

Users can easily switch between chat mode and traditional search results, with the option to disable AI responses altogether, catering to diverse user preferences.

DuckDuckGo is adopting AI at a measured pace, contrasting with Google's aggressive integration, and aims to maintain its privacy-first approach amidst growing competition.

The platform commits to keeping chats unlinked from personal data and has agreements to delete saved chats within 30 days.

While Duck.ai remains free, DuckDuckGo is considering a subscription model for advanced features, potentially priced at $9.99 per month.

Future enhancements for Duck.ai include web search integration, voice interaction for mobile devices, and the ability to upload images for queries.