DuckDuckGo pitches itself to schools amid backlash over Google’s AI policy

DuckDuckGo is pitching itself to schools as an alternative to Google, highlighting Google's decision to require schools to choose between using Google Search or disabling all AI features. DuckDuckGo emphasizes its focus on user privacy and ease of switching to its service, while criticizing Google's approach as 'how a monopolist behaves when they think people are powerless'. Google has around 50 million Chromebooks in schools and over 150 million users on its Google Classroom platform, making it a dominant force in education. DuckDuckGo's CEO and chief public affairs officer have issued statements criticizing Google's decision and encouraging schools to switch to DuckDuckGo's service.