Image: Andy Wolber/TechRepublic, screenshot of Duck.ai
In June 2024, DuckDuckGo, a search entity, introduced a complimentary and confidential AI Chat utility.
Image: Andy Wolber/TechRepublic, screenshot of Duck.ai
In June 2024, DuckDuckGo, a search entity, introduced a complimentary and confidential AI Chat utility. AI Chat blends in with DuckAssist, which offers responses informed by Wikipedia, as an avenue to delve into subjects with AI. AI Chat operates using the prevalent prompt-response system championed by OpenAI’s ChatGPT and Google’s Gemini.
However, DuckDuckGo’s AI Chat aims to limit potential privacy apprehensions inherently. AI Chat provides incognito accessibility: No registration, username, email, or password required. DuckDuckGo assures that your requests and details won’t be employed to refine any of the AI algorithms. Consequently, there’s no need to fear that content from your inquiries will be shared in responses sent to others.
By September 2024, AI Chat enables users to elect to converse with any of four chat models:
Llama 3.1 70B, a publicly available model from Meta.
Mixtral 8x7B, an open-source model from Mistral AI, a French organization.
Users have the liberty to switch between models whenever they desire, enabling comparisons of responses. In essence, DuckDuckGo’s AI Chat provides a facile and complimentary means to interact with four distinct extensive language models anonymously.
Get started with DuckDuckGo AI Chat
To commence, launch a web browser on an internet-connected phone, computer, or tablet, and follow these steps:
On your first visit to Duck.ai, select Get Started.
Subsequently, opt for a chat model. The majority of users might prefer the default selection of GPT-4o mini from OpenAI. (You can switch models at any point to experiment with different ones.)
Select from GPT-4o mini, Claude 3 Haiku, Llama 3.1 70B, or Mixtral 8x7B models.
Examine the privacy policy and terms of use, and then press the I Agree button if you find the terms satisfactory.
Review and accept terms of use.
You are then able to utilize AI Chat just as you would any other AI chat system: Input your prompt, await the response, and then proceed with the conversation as desired.
Access AI Chat with search or bangs
DuckDuckGo also enables you to transition to an AI Chat from a search. From a search results page, click on the Chat option to convert your search query into an AI Chat prompt. The text of your search terms will be inserted in the prompt box, giving you the opportunity to modify it before sending the prompt to the system.
You might switch to an AI Chat from any DuckDuckGo search results page (left) or use a DuckDuckGo bang command, like !ai, before your prompt (right).
DuckDuckGo bang search shortcuts also provide !ai and !chat options. Place one of these shortcuts at the beginning of a DuckDuckGo search to direct the content to the AI Chat system, rather than a traditional search. DuckDuckGo offers a wide range of bangs that permit you to redirect your search not only to DuckDuckGo services but also to third parties, such as Google (!g) or Wikipedia (!w).
AI Chat options: Duplicate, modify, erase, or proceed
Choose the duplicate icon — positioned at the top-right corner of each response — to replicate the text of a response to your device’s clipboard. You can then paste the text into a note, document, email, or text field as required. Since your prompts and responses do not link to an account, make sure to duplicate and save in an external location any response you wish to reference later on. To the right of the duplicate icon is a redo button, depicted by a circular arrow, that can be used to prompt the system to generate another response to your input.
Duplicate a reply to the clipboard (upper right) and paste it elsewhere to retain it, modify to a different chat model (upper left), or clear the discussion to begin anew (bottom).Displeased with the answer you receive from one model? Transition to a different AI Chat model: Pick the Settings symbol on the right side of the chosen model name, pick your preferred model, and then click the “Start a new chat” button. Test the available models by initiating each with a variety of inquiries and tasks. You’ll observe that not only will the response specifics differ but also the layout may differ as well.Finished with a thread or prepared to converse about a different subject? Click the flame icon next to the prompt box to clear the conversation. This removes all content in your chat, so ensure you’ve duplicated (and saved) any generated content from the chat previously.
AI Chat, unlike a standard search, allows you to pose follow-up questions.
Lastly, a significant distinction between conventional search and AI chat is that you can maintain the conversation and pose additional inquiries. For instance, a common DuckDuckGo search will present a selection of links and potentially some vital information. If you desire a different set of links, you’d redo your search. With AI Chat, you can pose a series of follow-up questions to induce the system to elaborate on a specific detail or provide supplementary options.
AI Chat constraints and substitutes
One noteworthy constraint of AI Chat and all four offered models: They do not have access to current internet content. The replies are confined to data accessible as of their training date. So, when seeking details about upcoming or recent events, switch to a traditional search.Several web browser-friendly alternatives to AI Chat include systems such as:
Another option is to download, set up, and configure an extensive language model system, like Jan, Ollama, or Nomic’s GPT4All. Those desiring access to the highest-rated AI chat systems will likely opt to subscribe — approximately $20 monthly in each case — for ChatGPT Plus, Gemini Advanced, or Claude Pro.
Andy Curtis is an award-winning security consultant, researcher and public speaker. He has been working in the computer security industry since the early 1990s, having been employed by state and federal government, leading healthcare and banking providers across three continents. He has given talks about computer security for some of the world’s largest companies, worked with law enforcement agencies on investigations into hacking groups, and is a regular voice on TV and radio explaining IT security threats.
