Privacy-focused browser DuckDuckGo has launched a new setting that allows users to filter out AI-generated images from search results. The company said it launched the feature in response to feedback from some users who said AI-generated images prevented them from finding the content they were looking for.
Users can use this new setting by searching on DuckDuckGo and then going to the "Images" tab. On this page, users will see a new drop-down menu called "AI Pictures" and select "Show" or "Hide" to decide whether to view AI-generated content.
Users can also turn on this filter by clicking the "Hide AI-generated images" option in search settings.
DuckDuckGo’s new feature comes at a time when the internet is awash in AI “dross” — low-quality media content produced using generative AI techniques.
"This filter relies on manually curated open source blacklists, including the 'core' list provided by uBlockOrigin and the uBlacklist large AI blacklist," DuckDuckGo said in a post on the
DuckDuckGo said it plans to add more filters in the future, but did not disclose specific details.
It is worth mentioning that the example DuckDuckGo gave for this new feature is to search for pictures of "peacock chicks," which may be a reference to the controversy caused by Google last year - when users searched for pictures of peacock chicks, Google displayed more AI-generated pictures than real pictures.