DuckDuckGo today announced DuckAssist, and according to the company, it is the first feature in a series of AI-based search and browser updates that will be coming in the future. Users will not have to download anything or sign up for anything. You can try it right away in the associated browsers or extensions.

DuckAssist is a clever AI-powered feature introduced by DuckDuckGo that will answer your questions in a much simpler language using Wikipedia

So what is DuckAssist? The company claims it is simply an AI-powered "Instant Answer." This means that if you do have a question - the answer to which can be found on Wikipedia, and you type that into the search box, the new feature will take it over and use "AI natural language technology" to create a brief summary of the answers found on Wikipedia. The best thing is that it is still free and completely private, and you can take it for a test drive right now. The answers provided by the feature will have the source linked as well, so you know where the information is coming from.

However, it does not just end there. DuckDuckGo has talked about how the company is planning on several AI-based features in the coming months, with DuckAssist being the first one. As with any new feature, this one is currently in the trial period, and the company will start expanding it based on the experience.

The company has also mentioned that considering the nature of the trial, DuckAssist will most likely appear when a user is asking questions with simple, straightforward answers rather than complex or subjective answers. Of course, considering how it is an AI-based tool, it will take some time. Another thing to note here is that the company has mentioned how they use the most Wikipedia index, so if anything is more recent, you might not see DuckAssist appearing there.

Last but not least, going forward, DuckDuckGo plans on ensuring that it is regularly updating the index. As it gains traction, the company also plans on adding more sources, which is a great thing for those who want sources other than Wikipedia.

This definitely looks like it could shape the whole process of searching for people. It looks convenient, is easy to use, and most importantly, is free. That coupled with DuckDuckGo's commitment to providing a logging-free experience, DuckAssist is certainly a feature that more companies need to announce going forward.