DuckDuckGo, the search engine that prioritizes privacy, continues its streak of search innovation with its brand-new tool: DuckAssist. It is capable of extracting information from Wikipedia and summarizing it to provide direct answers to certain questions asked by users.
DuckDuckGo dives into artificial intelligence
Microsoft and Google are working to perfect search results through the use of generative artificial intelligence, and DuckDuckGo is following suit by integrating a new feature. Although DuckAssist is still only in beta, it is already available on DuckDuckGo’s mobile apps and browser extensions.
Designed with ChatGPT
The development of this innovative tool was made possible through a collaboration between DuckDuckGo, OpenAI, and Anthropic—a startup created by former employees of the company that designed ChatGPT. Anthropic also recently received financial backing from Google. This partnership has allowed for the creation of cutting-edge natural language processing technology, offering users more concise answers to their questions than traditional search results or other instant answers.
Try our artificial intelligence
Information sourced from Wikipedia
To prevent any risk of misinformation, DuckAssist employs various precautions, such as restricting itself to data from sources linked to Wikipedia. Gabriel Weinberg, CEO of DuckDuckGo, emphasizes that this measure is an effective way to minimize the chances of getting incorrect information. Furthermore, users can verify the information provided by directly consulting the sources cited in the summary.
NEW: Meet DuckAssist (beta), an AI-assisted search Instant Answer that uses Wikipedia to answer questions. 🪄
DuckAssist is:
✔️ Free (no sign-up required!)
✔️ Completely anonymous and private
✔️ Available now in our browsers and extensionsLearn more 👇 https://t.co/qHQ3kXecgI
— DuckDuckGo (@DuckDuckGo) March 8, 2023
But it can make mistakes!
Despite the precautions taken, DuckDuckGo acknowledges that DuckAssist is liable to make errors, especially when it comes to complex questions. For this reason, the search engine encourages users to share their feedback to continuously improve the quality of its service.
However, DuckDuckGo isn’t stopping at this first achievement. The company intends to roll out a whole series of services based on generative artificial intelligence in the coming months, with DuckAssist being just the beginning. This initiative illustrates DuckDuckGo’s ongoing commitment to a more reliable, transparent, and privacy-friendly online search experience for its users.
