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See the full story · 1 sourcesGo to the 9to5Mac home page Switch site 9to5Toys 9to5Google Logo 9to5Google Electrek Drone DJ Logo DroneDJ Space Explored About Privacy Toggle social menu Toggle dark mode Search for: Submit Toggle search form Forums Store Podcasts Apple@Work Happy Hour 9to5Mac Daily Overtime iPhone iPhone Mac Mac MacBook Pro MacBook Air iMac Mac mini Mac Studio Mac Pro iPad iPad Pro iPad Air iPad mini iPad iPadOS Watch Apple Watch Apple Watch Ultra Apple Health Apple Watch SE Vision Vision Pro visionOS Music and TV Apple Music AirPods HomePod Apple TV Guides Reviews How Tos AAPL Apple Store Apple Arcade Apple Card Apple Silicon Apple One Apple Fitness+ CarPlay Siri HomeKit Toggle dark mode Privacy duckduckgo DuckDuckGo survey highlights how much personal information users share with AI Marcus Mendes | Aug 25 2026 - 5:00 am PT 0 Comments Private search company DuckDuckGo has released a new survey highlighting just how much personal information people are sharing with AI chatbots, and how little many understand about what happens to those conversations. Here are the details.
In a survey published today , DuckDuckGo highlights several privacy-related aspects around how people use AI chatbots, including the fact that nearly one in three users have told an AI something they would not tell friends, family, colleagues, or medical professionals. Among self-described AI enthusiasts, that figure rises to 56%.
For many people, AI chatbots serve as a judgement-free space to share things they won’t tell anyone else. While a typical web search might be a few words, AI chat invites longer, more personal input. Search queries reveal interests, but AI conversations have the potential to reveal thought processes, communication styles, and more.
The company says that among the nearly 2,000 U.S. adults who responded to the survey, 53% did not know or were unsure that most chatbots use conversations for training by default, while just 25% knew that AI chats can be subpoenaed by law enforcement.
Once people know it’s happening, 58% of people are uncomfortable with how their conversations are being used to train AI. (30% specify “very uncomfortable.”)
The results also show a significant behavioral divide between parents and non-parents, with parents or guardians with children in the household confiding in AI almost twice as much as non-parents. DuckDuckGo says that “among parents who use AI, 43% have told an AI something they’ve never shared with another person,” while “that number drops to 25% for AI users with no children at home.”
DuckDuckGo argues that AI companies have leaned into this behavior by encouraging users to treat chatbots as confidants in advertising campaigns and media appearances, even though those conversations may not be as private as users are led to believe.
When it comes to trust, the survey found that people have slightly more confidence in large AI companies than in the U.S. government to protect their data. However, skepticism remains high toward both: 39% said they have no trust at all in large AI companies, compared with 48% who said the same of the government.
Finally, DuckDuckGo argues that users still have an opportunity to change how they approach AI privacy, particularly as chatbot habits are still relatively new:
When we talk about online privacy in search engines and browsers, many people think “it’s too late, my information is already out there.” But the most valuable information you could share with Big Tech is your next question, not the questions you asked days or months or years ago. So, it’s never too late to make the switch to more private services online.
The company also reminds users that they can take proactive steps to protect their privacy when using AI chatbots, including choosing services with clearer and more transparent data-handling policies.
To read DuckDuckGo’s full findings from the survey, follow this link .
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Marcus Mendes is a Brazilian tech podcaster and journalist who has been closely following Apple since the mid-2000s.
He began covering Apple news in Brazilian media in 2012 and later broadened his focus to the wider tech industry, hosting a daily podcast for seven years.
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