DuckDuckGo Courts Schools as They Push Back Against Google’s AI Policy

DuckDuckGo is encouraging schools to use its search engine after Google faced criticism over how schools can manage its AI tools.

Google said schools can turn off some AI products, including Gemini. But schools that want to remove AI features built into Google Search may also have to give up Search itself. That has upset educators who want to limit AI without losing a familiar search service.

DuckDuckGo is using the debate to reach more schools. The company is known for limiting how much user data it collects. Its founder and CEO, Gabriel Weinberg, shared online instructions for making DuckDuckGo the default search engine on school devices. He also offered help to schools that want to make the switch.

DuckDuckGo’s public affairs chief, Kamyl Bazbaz, criticized Google’s approach, saying it could force AI on school children. Google, in turn, said its plan gives schools more choice. It said Gemini, Gemini Notebook and Search would be turned off by default, and schools could choose whether to enable them.

The disagreement comes as many schools are working out what role AI should play in learning. Google has a large presence in education: figures it has shared in past years point to about 50 million Chromebooks in schools and more than 150 million Google Classroom users worldwide.

Google also offers a tool called Guided Learning, which is designed to help students work through problems step by step instead of simply giving them answers. Still, some educators want the option to remove AI from learning altogether.

DuckDuckGo says it offers that choice. The company has AI features of its own, including a chat service called Duck.ai and an AI search assistant. But it says users can turn these features off in its search and browser settings. It also runs a version of its website where AI-assisted answers, AI-generated images and AI feature suggestions are disabled.

The debate reflects wider questions about how much AI people want in their daily lives. AI use at work and school is becoming common, but schools may want different rules from one another.

DuckDuckGo reported earlier this year that installs of its app had risen by 30%, as some users pushed back against Google’s AI-powered search features. The company may now see schools as another group looking for more control over when AI appears.

For schools, the choice is not only about which search engine to use. It is also about whether they can use digital tools while deciding for themselves when AI is part of the experience.