DuckDuckGo is asking for a Yes or No vote on AI

#1

Post by jaredcwhite » Fri, Jan 16, 2026, 7:42 PM UTC

DuckDuckGo is asking for a Yes or No vote on AI
duckduckgo.com

Re: DuckDuckGo is asking for a Yes or No vote on AI

#2

Post by minimaxir » Fri, Jan 16, 2026, 7:49 PM UTC

This is a confusing marketing campaign because DDG is very much aware that the people voting on this poll are not a representative sample of DDG users.

Re: DuckDuckGo is asking for a Yes or No vote on AI

#3

Post by chrisjj » Fri, Jan 16, 2026, 7:50 PM UTC

Currently 4% v 96%.

Re: DuckDuckGo is asking for a Yes or No vote on AI

#4

Post by chrisjj » Fri, Jan 16, 2026, 7:50 PM UTC

minimaxir wrote: post #2

This is a confusing marketing campaign because DDG is very much aware that the people voting on this poll are not a representative sample of DDG users.

I'd be interested to hear the source of that info.

Re: DuckDuckGo is asking for a Yes or No vote on AI

#5

Post by PaulHoule » Fri, Jan 16, 2026, 7:56 PM UTC

minimaxir wrote: post #2

This is a confusing marketing campaign because DDG is very much aware that the people voting on this poll are not a representative sample of DDG users.

Yeah, but there are enough passionate anti-AI people out there that reaching out to them could be the killer marketing move of 2026. The poll is 4% Yes, 96% No when I checked it. It's pretty clear that pro-AI marketing falls flat, see "Copilot + PC"

People pushing AI might get investors today, but companies that take a stand against it might get the customers. Pick one.

Re: DuckDuckGo is asking for a Yes or No vote on AI

#6

Post by minimaxir » Fri, Jan 16, 2026, 7:59 PM UTC

PaulHoule wrote: post #5

minimaxir wrote: post #2

This is a confusing marketing campaign because DDG is very much aware that the people voting on this poll are not a representative sample of DDG users.

Yeah, but there are enough passionate anti-AI people out there that reaching out to them could be the killer marketing move of 2026. The poll is 4% Yes, 96% No when I checked it. It's pretty clear that pro-AI marketing falls flat, see "Copilot + PC" People pushing AI might get investors today, but companies that take a stand against it might get the customers . Pick one.

If you vote Yes AI, you get a link to https://yesai.duckduckgo.com/ which references http://duck.ai/, DDG's AI platform, and the passionate anti-AI people don't like anything AI adjacent which DDG is doing.

DDG is trying to have their cake and eat it too.

Re: DuckDuckGo is asking for a Yes or No vote on AI

#7

Post by minimaxir » Fri, Jan 16, 2026, 8:03 PM UTC

chrisjj wrote: post #4

minimaxir wrote: post #2

This is a confusing marketing campaign because DDG is very much aware that the people voting on this poll are not a representative sample of DDG users.

I'd be interested to hear the source of that info.

That's just standard sampling bias: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sampling_bias

It's why public internet polls are more for fun/validating confirmation bias than actually gleaning actionable statistical insight, and why no one does them anymore. In this particular instance, the presentation and call-to-action rules out the "fun" angle of the poll.

Re: DuckDuckGo is asking for a Yes or No vote on AI

#8

Post by chrisjj » Fri, Jan 16, 2026, 8:22 PM UTC

minimaxir wrote: post #7

chrisjj wrote: post #4

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'd be interested to hear the source of that info.

That's just standard sampling bias: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sampling_bias It's why public internet polls are more for fun/validating confirmation bias than actually gleaning actionable statistical insight, and why no one does them anymore. In this particular instance, the presentation and call-to-action rules out the "fun" angle of the poll.

So... who is it confusing, exactly?

Re: DuckDuckGo is asking for a Yes or No vote on AI

#9

Post by add-sub-mul-div » Fri, Jan 16, 2026, 8:27 PM UTC

minimaxir wrote: post #6

PaulHoule wrote: post #5

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yeah, but there are enough passionate anti-AI people out there that reaching out to them could be the killer marketing move of 2026. The poll is 4% Yes, 96% No when I checked it. It's pretty clear that pro-AI marketing falls flat, see "Copilot + PC" People pushing AI might get investors today, but companies that take a stand against it might get the customers . Pick one.

If you vote Yes AI, you get a link to https://yesai.duckduckgo.com/ which references http://duck.ai/ , DDG's AI platform, and the passionate anti-AI people don't like anything AI adjacent which DDG is doing. DDG is trying to have their cake and eat it too.

What does having both an AI and a non-AI mode have to do with the vote not being a representative sample? Did they promote this vote exclusively to one camp or the other?

Re: DuckDuckGo is asking for a Yes or No vote on AI

#10

Post by minimaxir » Fri, Jan 16, 2026, 8:35 PM UTC

chrisjj wrote: post #8

minimaxir wrote: post #7

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That's just standard sampling bias: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sampling_bias It's why public internet polls are more for fun/validating confirmation bias than actually gleaning actionable statistical insight, and why no one does them anymore. In this particular instance, the presentation and call-to-action rules out the "fun" angle of the poll.

So... who is it confusing, exactly?

Confusing is my personal perspective, interpreting the campaign in good faith.