Voice sessions connect to an OpenAI model through an encrypted relay, with audio streamed live for transcription and responses.
DuckDuckGo said recordings are not stored or used for training
Photo Credit: Unsplash/appshunter.io
DuckDuckGo introduced a new opt-in voice chat option for its AI-powered Duck.ai chatbot on Monday, giving users the ability to speak to the assistant in real time rather than rely only on text. The feature adds a voice mode to the platform's existing private chatbot service and comes with built-in limits and privacy controls. DuckDuckGo said users can enable or disable voice chat at any time, and the tool works without requiring an account, with higher usage caps available for subscribers.
DuckDuckGo added an opt-in real-time voice chat feature to its Duck.ai AI chatbot. The new mode allows users to talk to the assistant instead of typing, with the system responding aloud during the conversation.
The company introduced Duck.ai last March as a chatbot platform that enables private interactions with third-party language models. Since then, Duck.ai has expanded beyond text chat, and voice support is the latest feature to arrive.
DuckDuckGo said users must choose to enable voice chat, and they can switch it off again at any time in the platform's settings. The feature works without requiring an account, though it comes with daily usage caps. Subscribers receive higher limits than free users.
DuckDuckGo explained that voice sessions connect to an OpenAI model through an encrypted relay. During a session, microphone audio is streamed live to OpenAI for transcription and response generation, producing both written and spoken replies. DuckDuckGo said it cannot decrypt the relay connection.
The company said voice data is handled ephemerally and exists only while the user is speaking. It stated that neither DuckDuckGo nor OpenAI stores recordings after a chat ends, and the audio is not used for AI training.
DuckDuckGo also warned that a person's voice is inherently unique and could serve as a biometric identifier. The company said it does not attempt to recognise users through voice, and it noted that OpenAI's use of the data is limited by contract to providing the service.
Voice chat is currently supported in the DuckDuckGo browser and most other modern browsers, while Firefox support has not yet been added. Users can start a voice session by enabling the feature in Duck.ai and granting microphone permission through their browser.
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