The Nugget

Kagi's financial instability, heavy reliance on AI, misguided use of funds, and lack of transparency regarding user privacy have led to a loss of trust among users, making it a questionable choice for search engine use.

Key quotes

"Kagi isn't just Kagi Search, it's also a whole slew of AI tools, a Mac-only web browser called Orion, and right now they are planning on launching an email service as well."
"They raised their prices, which lost them a lot of subscribers, because they were losing money per search at the old prices. They were actually still losing money per search on the new prices."
"Kagi loves AI bullshit and they are going to find more and more ways to use it."
"He believes that email addresses don't count as personally identifiable information, because you can simply use a burner account."
"Between the absolute blase attitude towards privacy, the 100% dedication to AI being the future of search, and the completely misguided use of the company's limited funds, I honestly can't see Kagi as something I could ever recommend to people."

Kagi extends itself too thin with multiple projects that aren't profitable, leading to financial instability.
The company made questionable financial choices, like setting up a t-shirt business that consumed a significant portion of their funding round.
Kagi struggled with pricing strategies, losing subscribers due to unsustainable costs.

Kagi leans heavily into AI tools, launching various features like FastGPT and Universal Summarizer.
The founder strongly believes in the power of AI, which may not align with user preferences.
The company's lack of transparency regarding user privacy and dismissal of concerns around data collection raise red flags.

Vlad's adamant stance on AI, bias, and privacy indicates a rigid approach that may not cater to user concerns.
Kagi's dedication to AI development over search functionality raises doubts about its user-centric approach.
The company's misguided priorities and limited focus on user privacy contribute to a loss of trust among users.

💰 Kagi's financial instability and questionable business decisions have led to a loss of trust among users.
🔍 The heavy reliance on AI tools at the expense of user privacy makes Kagi a questionable search engine choice for many users.
🚫 Vlad's dismissive attitude towards privacy concerns and strong belief in AI's future in search raise doubts about Kagi's long-term viability.
💬 Kagi's lack of transparency and rigid management style may not align with user preferences and contribute to a decline in user trust.

This summary contains AI-generated information and may have important inaccuracies or omissions.