GoKawiilAI-wear: DuckDuckGo recently introduced a new pair of sunglasses designed to respect privacy in an AI-saturated world. The product is real, not just marketing, although the search engine company is clearly trying to make a point.
DuckDuckGo's latest product is a pair of ordinary sunglasses, with no added features such as video recording or generative AI integration. Part marketing campaign and part wearable apparel, designed in partnership with Knockaround, the aptly named "Normal F***ing Sunglasses" cater to customers who'd rather not think about privacy while walking down the street on a sunny day.
The matte black sunglasses are based on Knockaround's Paso Robles frame design, which includes all the conventional "features" you'd expect from a trendy eyewear product: polarized lenses with full UV400 protection, and FDA-compliant impact resistance. The product description also notes the glasses include no battery, no external power source, and no electronics or AI integration whatsoever.
According to a DuckDuckGo spokesperson, the Normal F***ing Sunglasses were conceived as a satirical jab at privacy-invasive products creeping into yet another piece of "dumb" analog technology.
Meta and other tech companies are turning sunglasses into surveillance devices, the spokesperson said, which is why privacy-conscious buyers are still drawn to plain glasses with no trace of video recording or AI.
DuckDuckGo's attempt to needle Big Tech over its appetite for user data may be a stunt, but the sunglasses are already selling well. They sold out within days, with the company confirming that a "significant" portion of the inventory has been depleted, though it says it's too early to share full sales figures.
In addition to sunglasses, DuckDuckGo has a browser, too.
DuckDuckGo has taken a clear stance on generative AI and other LLM-based tools, having asked users whether they wanted AI results fully integrated into search. An overwhelming majority said no, which is why the company now keeps AI content and interactions confined to a separate page.
The latest traffic data suggests most users back that decision, though some are still ribbing the company for "selling out" to the AI trend anyway. The Normal F***ing Sunglasses campaign has caught on with other satirical outlets too – The Onion ran a faux roundup of consumer reactions to the new sunglasses.