DuckDuckGo courts schools amid backlash over Google’s AI policy
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DuckDuckGo is trying to win over schools after Google said institutions could turn off Gemini, but that disabling other AI features would also make them lose Google Search. Founder Gabriel Weinberg directed schools to switch their default search engine, and the company told TechCrunch that Google could disable Search’s AI features for educational institutions. Google responded that Gemini, Gemini Notebook, and Search will be off by default and can be enabled individually, following requests from schools for more control.
DuckDuckGo offers its own AI features, including Duck.ai, but says they can be disabled in its search and browser settings. The company also maintains noai.duckduckgo.com, which turns off AI-assisted answers, AI-generated images, and AI feature suggestions.
Why it matters · editorial interpretation
The dispute makes control over AI features in schools a provider-choice issue as well: institutions can weigh Google’s described per-feature controls against an alternative offering settings to disable AI features. That could influence search decisions in educational environments.
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