Beyond ChatGPT: Alternative AI (With a Privacy-Focus) Worth Exploring . . . Now!
SOURCE: BrickBard via Pixabay.
WHAT’S OUT THERE?
Are there AI search engines (beyond ChatGTP and Perplexity) worth exploring? The exciting answer is “yes!” And, for more good news, these place an emphasis on privacy!
Here are some options for those of us weary of the same old approaches to AI . . .
ANDI (Chrome Extension)
Andi takes a strong stance on protecting user privacy. “Accurate. Private and anonymous. No ads, spam or tracking,” is the site’s purpose statement.
Did you know that “Andi is proud to have pioneered AI + Chat + Search, going all the way back to our first prototypes in 2021, and our launch as Andi with AI answers at the start of 2022”?
According to Andi’s privacy policy, “[o]ur mission is to protect privacy, and we're trying to do it in a practical and useful way that's accessible to as many people as possible.” Key privacy approaches include:
We promise not to share your data with anyone else.
We only collect and retain sufficient data to help our customers use the service effectively, when they want to create an account or be remembered between devices and sessions, and to improve the service we provide.
No data is shared with any other person or company, and personal information is not available to our team members beyond that directly required for customer support and service.
We don't store any cookies.
We block Google's FLoC (Federated Learning of Cohorts) tracking technology from this app.
We don't log or store your IP address. It's used to lookup your approximate location (nearest town) for location searches only, then discarded. It is never passed to third-parties.
We only use your GPS or detailed location for searches with your express permission, and then only to approximate the area. Your GPS location details are not stored or passed to any third-parties.
Searches are anonymous and private to you. We don't log searches.
Andi.ai is connected to the Internet. The platform also offers (under Settings) a “Complex question answering” feature which can be toggled on from its default “off” setting. Users also can choose the extent to which the model “thinks” (processes its response) before sharing. Additional toggles turn on AI-powered and experimental features.
Search results return text, images, and video; users can decide how the information is shared with them - via a feed, list, or grid.
BAGOODEX.AI
What is Bagoodex’s niche?
According to ACCESS newswire, “[o]verwhelmed by reports of low-quality content and irrelevant search results, several major search engines are under pressure to provide their users with better information. Poor user experience now forces searchers to navigate countless websites before they find direct and accurate answers. Bagoodex has been launched to solve this critical issue by delivering instant, precise, and high-quality results on a single page. Its design sets a new benchmark for online search efficiency and aesthetics.” The platform’s unique algorithm scans the internet to collect only the most relevant and useful information based on the user's search parameters.
As Bagoodex’s privacy policy states: “we don’t save or share your search or browsing history when you search on Bagoodex or use our apps and extensions. We also do not track you and we do not collect any personal data about you. The only personal data we may have about you is when you provide it to us (e.g. email for marketing purposes). . . In case we have your personal data, we process it in accordance with applicable privacy laws and this Privacy Policy explains what information we collect about you, how we use it, and your rights.”
A dropdown menu lets users select the “chat mode” for their AI engagement, including a text-to-image option. Prompt responses, via “Web Search,” generate text, related video and image content, online sources, and follow-up questions. “Web Search” AI content can be shared through a hyperlink, X, WhatsApp, and Facebook.
DUCK.AI
Duck.ai is an excellent alternative for users who don’t want to log in or create an account of any kind! Access is free and users can choose which AI model powers their searches.
As TechRadar states, “[t]he privacy-first approach is a key differentiator, making it particularly appealing for those concerned about data tracking.” Duck.ai does not store user chats, nor use them to train the model. Duck.ai also does not forward a user’s IP address to AI model providers. “However, DuckDuckGo notes that the AI providers “may store chats temporarily,” but they can’t trace them back to you.”
Users can select open source models including Llama 3.3 70B and Mistral Small 3 in addition to GPT-4o mini and Claude 3.0 Haiku.
Something to keep in mind is that Duck.ai is not as robust as other AI platforms when it comes to multi-media = it cannot create images or interact through speech-to-text. Further, it is not currently connected to the Internet, so it cannot generate responses based on real-time information.
I asked Duck.ai what the benefits of working with its platform are; it responded with the following:
Here are some benefits of working with Duck.ai:
Privacy Focus: Duck.ai emphasizes user privacy, ensuring that interactions are anonymous and that personal data is not tracked or stored.
Data Security: With a commitment to not recording user chats or identifiable information, Duck.ai provides a secure environment for users.
User Control: Users have more control over their data, as their interactions are not linked to their identity or device.
No Targeted Ads: The absence of tracking means users are not subjected to targeted advertising based on their interactions.
Enhanced Trust: The privacy-first approach fosters trust between users and the platform, encouraging more open and honest interactions.
Focus on User Experience: By prioritizing privacy, Duck.ai can focus on delivering a better user experience without the distractions of data collection.
Duck.ai’s Privacy Policy
We do not save or store your Prompts or Outputs on DuckDuckGo servers. Instead, recent chats are optionally saved locally on your device, to protect your privacy
Your recent chats are automatically saved locally on your device (instead of on DuckDuckGo servers or other remote servers) unless you opt out. You can delete a recent chat by clicking the delete icon next to it. You can delete all recent chats at once by either using the Fire Button within Duck.ai or clearing your browser data. Recent chats are also automatically deleted after 30 conversations
We have agreements with model providers to further protect your privacy.
In addition, we have agreements in place with all model providers that further limit how they can use data from these anonymous requests, including not using Prompts and Outputs to develop or improve their models, as well as deleting all information received once it is no longer necessary to provide Outputs (at most within 30 days, with limited exceptions for safety and legal compliance)
Duck.ai’s Terms of Service
You retain all intellectual property rights in your Prompts and Outputs.
Outputs may be inaccurate, incomplete, or otherwise unreliable.
Outputs may be offensive.
Duck.ai is only intended for and available to people who are age 13 or older.
The models accessible through Duck.ai are subject to the model provider's usage policies.
Safety features created by model providers may try to prevent you from misusing Duck.ai.
We will notify you when our Duck.ai Privacy Policy or Terms of Service are updated.
KOMO.AI
Komo automatically switches amongst AI platforms (aka Komo Search) as it decides which model (GPT-4o mini, GPT-4o, Claude 3 Haiku, Claude 3.5 Connect, Llama 3.1, or DeepSeek R1) provides users with the best results to their prompts. The model states a goal is to “[g]et balanced perspectives and find common ground across different viewpoints” and to verify response accuracy.
Komo prepackaged services including Search (Internet searches), Chat (3 chats/24 hours are available for free accounts), and Discover (pre-prompted queries on trending topics in areas including entertainment, politics, travel, sports, finance, and lifestyle). Users can select their AI model if they are not working with the Komo Search mode.
Prompt responses provide source link tiles, a “Perspective Pulse” (that mathematically summarizes results), and result in-text citations (which are provided via listed URLs if the prompt response is copied and pasted into a text program). Further, Komo includes Web and Personas options:
Web: users can choose a search Data Corpus such as the Internet, social media, news, videos, or blogs
Personas: users can choose a dedicated perspective like Explainer, Planner, Quote Collector, Copy Writer, Data Researcher, or Essay Writer
In addition, responses can be reframed as a Mind Map, and results can be shared via hyperlink, Twitter, WhatsApp, Facebook, and Reddit.