ecdr
commented
2 weeks ago Another similar extension: https://www.tomshardware.com/software/google-chrome/bye-bye-ai-how-to-block-googles-annoying-ai-overviews-and-just-get-search-results
Bye Bye, Google AI: Turn off Google AI Overviews, Discussions and Ads https://chromewebstore.google.com/detail/bye-bye-google-ai-turn-of/imllolhfajlbkpheaapjocclpppchggc
Summary
Add option to extension to turn off AI in duckduckgo searches.
Motivation
I don't want my searches or search results sent to AI companies (used as prompts). (Violates my privacy, wastes resources generating garbage results I don't want.) I don't want to see AI results. They are, literally, bullshit (words assembled without meaning). They could mislead or confuse me. (I might forget/not notice that some part of a result is algorithmic word salad.)
Training AI and using it to generate results takes a lot of energy and computers - resources better not spent.
The extension could turn off AI every time I run my browser - regardless of whether I retain cookies. Currently the only way to turn off AI in duckduckgo is by letting duckduckgo store a cookie. I have my browser delete all cookies on close. To turn off duckduckgo AI, I would have to give duckduckgo blanket permission to store cookies. I find no easy way to make Firefox remember just one cookie. Duckduckgo already started providing AI garbage - no knowing what other information they might chose to store/track. They may start tracking at any time. I don't feel comfortable giving them this carte blanche.
If the extension let me turn off the AI, then I can audit the extension before I install it. I can check future versions before I decide to update the extension. Gives me control.
Additional context
In addition to adding this feature to the extension, it would be nice if they added distinct URLs for the AI and non-AI versions of duckduckgo. e.g., duckduckgo.ai - with AI bullshit noai.duckduckgo.com - without AI bullshit (will never have AI) duckduckgo.com - I think it should be noai version (with possibly an advertisement banner for the ai version), unless the vast majority of users want AI. However it wouldn't matter much which version plain duckduckgo.com uses - because I would have a simple way to access and share the non-AI version. I wouldn't need an extension, or cookies, etc.
Impact: Many (most?) people hate AI, so many should benefit. https://pivot-to-ai.com/ AI has a huge negative environmental impact: https://pivot-to-ai.com/2024/09/15/microsoft-is-firmly-committed-to-environmentally-sustainable-ai-except-when-theres-a-sale-to-be-made/ AI shortenings are not trustworthy: https://pivot-to-ai.com/2024/09/04/dont-use-ai-to-summarize-documents-its-worse-than-humans-in-every-way/
Examples of similar extensions: No AI Google Search
https://chromewebstore.google.com/detail/no-ai-google-search/kkkmdpaccgdbipbgemkpfidkckdfekhl (Same idea, different search engine. I have not tested this extension, so do not know how well it works.)