Ecosia Launches "Green" AI Chatbot for Tree-Planting Search Engine

With COP28 in Dubai once again showing how little legislators are prepared to make changes for the future of the planet for generations to come, the timing couldn't be better for the launch of the first "green filter" generative AI-powered search chatbot.

Based in Berlin, Ecosia is the world's largest non-profit search engine and hopes that the launch of its new product will help users make better choices for the planet and further differentiate its offerings from the "giant behemoths" of internet search.

Powered by OpenAI's API, Ecosia's chatbot has a "green answer" option. This triggers a multi-layered green personality trait that provides users with more sustainable results and answers. For example, it suggests traveling by train instead of flying.

GenAI + DMA = Disrupting the Search Market?

Ecosia, which uses its website's ad revenue (i.e., all of its profits) to plant trees globally, is one of the first independent search engines to launch its own GenAI-driven chatbot. In an interview with TNW last month, Ecosia's founder and CEO, Christian Kroll, emphasized the importance of keeping up with technology for small independent players.

Furthermore, he highlighted the opportunity that generative AI presents in changing the current landscape of the internet search market. "I think we also have the potential to innovate - maybe even surpass some of the established players," he said.

On the occasion of the launch of the company's "green chatbot," Kroll added today that the changes brought to the internet search landscape in the past year are greater than the sum of the previous 14 years (Ecosia was founded in 2009). "Generative AI has the potential to completely change the search market - no longer requiring billions of dollars to develop top-notch search technology," he added, stating that Ecosia is aiming for "growth in global search engine market share."

Another factor that could disrupt the market is the implementation of the EU Digital Markets Act. Starting from March 2024, consumers will no longer be "encouraged" to use default applications on their devices (such as the Safari web browser on iPhones or Google Maps on Android devices). This may include providing users with a "choice screen" when setting up their devices, inviting them to choose which browsers, search engines, and virtual assistants to install instead of defaulting to Apple and Android preferences. Ecosia says it is "actively pushing" for this provision.

Green Chatbot Powered by Clean Energy

Many companies pay lip service to sustainability. Ecosia actually puts its money where its mouth is. A few years ago, its founder transformed Ecosia into a regulated ownership company. This means that shares cannot be sold for profit or owned by external individuals. Additionally, the company's profits cannot be taken out - as mentioned earlier, all profits are used for Ecosia's tree-planting initiatives.

"[Tree planting] is one of the most effective measures we can take against the climate crisis. Unfortunately, it often isn't done properly. That's why it's often criticized," Kroll told TNW.

"We're trying to define what good tree planting standards are. So, first and foremost, what you need to calculate is the trees that survive, not just the ones you plant - and then you have to go and check on them." It should be noted that this falls under the purview of Ecosia's Chief Tree Planting Officer. So far, the community has planted over 187 million trees and counting.

In addition, Ecosia's search engine is powered by solar energy - offsetting 200% of the carbon emissions from server usage and broader operations.

LLM and CO2: An Unpublished Relationship

You might wonder how adding generative AI to search functionality aligns with the environmental agenda. After all, just Google's use of generative AI could consume as much energy as a small country.

Ecosia acknowledges that it currently lacks the ability to "monitor the carbon emissions generated by LLM-driven GenAI functionality" as OpenAI has not publicly shared this information. However, preliminary tests indicate that the new GenAI feature will increase CO2 emissions by 5%. In response, Ecosia says it will increase investments in solar energy, regenerative agriculture, and other nature-based solutions.

Aside from environmental credentials, search engines still need to excel in their core functionality. Michael Metcalf, Ecosia's Chief Product Officer, shared, "To compete with the 99% market share giants, we have to offer a product that users are willing to use day in and day out." He emphasized that this means not only bringing positive impact to climate action but also having a top-notch search engine that can rival companies like Bing and Google.

Metcalf added that user testing of the company's sustainability-oriented AI chatbot has shown very positive feedback. "We launched the generative AI product ahead of our peers because we want to grow: grow our user base, grow our profits, and then grow our positive impact on the climate - which is a critical mission for our warming planet."