{"id":15052,"date":"2025-12-17T11:23:53","date_gmt":"2025-12-17T09:23:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/outilstice.com\/?p=15052"},"modified":"2026-05-12T07:33:13","modified_gmt":"2026-05-12T05:33:13","slug":"ecosia-moteur-de-recherche-ecologique-ia-ethique","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/outilstice.com\/en\/2025\/12\/ecosia-moteur-de-recherche-ecologique-ia-ethique\/","title":{"rendered":"Ecosia: an eco-friendly search engine with integrated AI"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>In the computer room as on personal devices, <strong>Google remains the reflex<\/strong> : efficient, fast, familiar. But this reflex also opens up useful questions in the classroom: <strong>economic model<\/strong>, <strong>data<\/strong>, <strong>results bias<\/strong>, <strong>environmental impact<\/strong>, and now <strong>place of AI<\/strong> in research.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Ecosia<\/strong> proposes an interesting alternative for the school: a search engine that finances tree planting projects through its advertising revenues, and that puts forward a transparency approach (regular reports).<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-large wp-image-15053 aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/outilstice.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/moteur_recherche_ecosia-1024x523.jpeg\" alt=\"ecosia search engine\" width=\"720\" height=\"368\" srcset=\"https:\/\/outilstice.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/moteur_recherche_ecosia-1024x523.jpeg 1024w, https:\/\/outilstice.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/moteur_recherche_ecosia-300x153.jpeg 300w, https:\/\/outilstice.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/moteur_recherche_ecosia-768x393.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/outilstice.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/moteur_recherche_ecosia.jpeg 1125w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 720px) 100vw, 720px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>The Ecosia search engine has been around for a while now and now also includes artificial intelligence functions. An eco-friendly search engine to unravel or rediscover.<\/p>\n<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_83 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-light-blue ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<label for=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6a7002f5edd74\" class=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-label\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewbox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewbox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseprofile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/label><input type=\"checkbox\"  id=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6a7002f5edd74\"  aria-label=\"Toggle\" \/><nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/outilstice.com\/en\/2025\/12\/ecosia-moteur-de-recherche-ecologique-ia-ethique\/#Comment_fonctionne_Ecosia_en_pratique\" >How does Ecosia work in practice?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/outilstice.com\/en\/2025\/12\/ecosia-moteur-de-recherche-ecologique-ia-ethique\/#Le_%E2%80%9Cvirage_IA%E2%80%9D_dEcosia_deux_modes_deux_usages\" >Ecosia\u2019s \u201cAI turn\u201d: two modes, two uses<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/outilstice.com\/en\/2025\/12\/ecosia-moteur-de-recherche-ecologique-ia-ethique\/#1_AI_Overviews_des_resumes_en_haut_de_page\" >1) AI Overviews: summaries at the top of the page<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/outilstice.com\/en\/2025\/12\/ecosia-moteur-de-recherche-ecologique-ia-ethique\/#2_AI_Search_un_mode_conversationnel\" >2) AI Search: a conversational mode<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/outilstice.com\/en\/2025\/12\/ecosia-moteur-de-recherche-ecologique-ia-ethique\/#Confidentialite_et_donnees_personnelles_ce_qui_change_ou_pas\" >Privacy and Personal Data: What Changes (or Not)<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/outilstice.com\/en\/2025\/12\/ecosia-moteur-de-recherche-ecologique-ia-ethique\/#Dans_vos_cours_comment_lutiliser_concretement\" >In your courses: how to use it in practice?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/outilstice.com\/en\/2025\/12\/ecosia-moteur-de-recherche-ecologique-ia-ethique\/#Les_vraies_questions_a_se_poser_et_a_enseigner\" >The Real Questions to Ask (and Teach)<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-8\" href=\"https:\/\/outilstice.com\/en\/2025\/12\/ecosia-moteur-de-recherche-ecologique-ia-ethique\/#Une_alternative_a_Google%E2%80%A6_et_un_bon_pretexte_pedagogique\" >An alternative to Google \u2026 and a good pedagogical pretext<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Comment_fonctionne_Ecosia_en_pratique\"><\/span>How does Ecosia work in practice?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Ecosia is a search engine <strong>multi-supplier<\/strong> : its results are based on partners (in particular: <strong>Microsoft Bing<\/strong>, sometimes <strong>Google<\/strong> according to the regions) and on <a href=\"https:\/\/www.eu-searchperspective.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>EUSP<\/strong><\/a>, a European initiative developed jointly with the engine <strong>Qwant<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p>Specifically:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>you achieve results comparable to those of the dominant engines;<\/li>\n<li>you can get students to work on a very topical NDE issue: <strong>who produces the information displayed, and according to which choices?<\/strong><\/li>\n<li>advertising revenue is used to finance Ecosia\u2019s projects (plantation, etc.), with a tree counter that makes the impact of using the tool visible.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Le_%E2%80%9Cvirage_IA%E2%80%9D_dEcosia_deux_modes_deux_usages\"><\/span>Ecosia\u2019s \u201cAI turn\u201d: two modes, two uses<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>It is now impossible for a search engine to ignore artificial intelligence. While most players in the sector are rushing towards this technology, which is often criticised for its high energy consumption, Ecosia has chosen a different approach.<\/p>\n<p>The German company has just launched new AI-based functionalities, with a promise: to offer advanced technology while respecting its green commitments and <a href=\"https:\/\/outilstice.com\/2025\/12\/ia-ethique-education-alternatives-chatgpt\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">protection of personal data<\/a> users.<\/p>\n<p>Ecosia deploys (and highlights) two complementary AI features.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"1_AI_Overviews_des_resumes_en_haut_de_page\"><\/span>1) <strong>AI Overviews<\/strong> : summaries at the top of the page<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>When you start a search, Ecosia displays a <strong>Summary box<\/strong> at the top of the results, like the \u201coverviews\u201d popularised by other engines. The idea: give a quick overview <strong>with source links<\/strong> to check.<\/p>\n<p>Ecosia presents these summaries as <strong>deactivable<\/strong> (if you want to stay on a \u201cclassic\u201d link list.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-large wp-image-15054 aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/outilstice.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/ecosia_overview-1024x653.jpg\" alt=\"ecosia AI Research\" width=\"720\" height=\"459\" srcset=\"https:\/\/outilstice.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/ecosia_overview-1024x653.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/outilstice.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/ecosia_overview-300x191.jpg 300w, https:\/\/outilstice.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/ecosia_overview-768x490.jpg 768w, https:\/\/outilstice.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/ecosia_overview-1536x980.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/outilstice.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/ecosia_overview.jpg 1600w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 720px) 100vw, 720px\" \/><\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"2_AI_Search_un_mode_conversationnel\"><\/span>2) <strong>AI Search<\/strong> : a conversational mode<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Ecosia also offers a mode <strong>AI Search<\/strong>, accessible via a dedicated button, which allows <strong>dialogue<\/strong> with the engine for more complex requests (preparing a route, comparing options, finding recipe ideas, etc.).<\/p>\n<p>In class, it is an excellent <a title=\"Escape Fake: An online game to help students spot fake news\" href=\"https:\/\/outilstice.com\/2025\/03\/escape-fake-game-medias-fake-news\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" data-wpil-monitor-id=\"271\">EMI Support<\/a> : one can have a \u201cfluid\u201d answer produced and then ask the students to <strong>find, read and quote <\/strong>The sources behind the claims.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Confidentialite_et_donnees_personnelles_ce_qui_change_ou_pas\"><\/span>Privacy and Personal Data: What Changes (or Not)<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Ecosia has an unambiguous position on the issue of confidentiality:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>anonymised searches<\/strong> and erased after 4 days;<\/li>\n<li><strong>Hidden IP address<\/strong> with partners;<\/li>\n<li><strong>Zero Tracker Cookie<\/strong>, zero resale of data to third parties.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>In practice: pure yourself or for classroom research, it is reassuring. Students are not \u201cprofiled\u201d, and you do not have to manage complicated GDPR consent.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Be careful though<\/strong> : <a title=\"Duck AI: AI that (really) respects your privacy\" href=\"https:\/\/outilstice.com\/2024\/10\/duckduckgo-ai-chatbot-respecte-donnees-personnelles\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" data-wpil-monitor-id=\"270\">Conversational AI (<em>AI Search<\/em>) based on models<\/a> third parties. Ecosia says it doesn't store conversations, but it's prudent to <strong>remind students never to enter personal data<\/strong> in a request (name, address, etc.).<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Dans_vos_cours_comment_lutiliser_concretement\"><\/span>In your courses: how to use it in practice?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Here is <strong>four concrete paths<\/strong> to integrate Ecosia into your sequences, from EMI to ESD to AI education.<\/p>\n<ol>\n<li><strong>Compare Ecosia and Google<\/strong> (EMI)Same request, two drivers: diversity of sources, place of the sponsored, types of content highlighted.Objective: understand that ranking is never neutral.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Mapping a request<\/strong> (EMI)Students list: keywords, sources found, date of publication, author\/editor, angle, evidence.Objective: go from \u201cI read a summary\u201d to \u201cI am conducting an investigation\u201d.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Exercise \u201cIA = assumption\u201d<\/strong> (EMI, IA)\n<ul>\n<li>Step 1: the student asks <strong>AI Search<\/strong> to get a structured answer.<\/li>\n<li>Step 2: It must <strong>validate\/deny<\/strong> 3 statements citing 2 reliable sources. Objective: to install a verification reflex (and avoid the effect \u201cit is written so it is true\u201d).<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><strong>ESD: sobriety and digital debate<\/strong>Guided discussion: what is AI for here? what does it bring? what does it cost (energy, infrastructure)?<br \/>\nObjective: to go beyond the \u201cfor\/against\u201d and to reason in practice.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Les_vraies_questions_a_se_poser_et_a_enseigner\"><\/span>The Real Questions to Ask (and Teach)<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Let's be clear: AI, even \u201cwell-intentioned\u201d, remains <strong>probabilistic<\/strong>. It can produce very convincing \u2026 answers and sometimes incomplete or erroneous.<\/p>\n<p>So, golden rules in class: <strong>require legible sources<\/strong> (author, date, publisher), <strong>systematically cross-check<\/strong> (at least 2 sources), learn a simple routine (<strong>source \u2192 cross-reference \u2192 citation<\/strong>), and to give priority, where relevant, to resources <strong>institutional<\/strong> or recognized (working the difference between <em>primary, secondary and opinion sources).<\/em><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-15056 aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/outilstice.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/ecosia_arbres.png\" alt=\"Ecosia Map Projects\" width=\"972\" height=\"452\" srcset=\"https:\/\/outilstice.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/ecosia_arbres.png 972w, https:\/\/outilstice.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/ecosia_arbres-300x140.png 300w, https:\/\/outilstice.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/ecosia_arbres-768x357.png 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 972px) 100vw, 972px\" \/><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Une_alternative_a_Google%E2%80%A6_et_un_bon_pretexte_pedagogique\"><\/span>An alternative to Google \u2026 and a good pedagogical pretext<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Beyond the technical features, Ecosia represents a <a href=\"https:\/\/outilstice.com\/2025\/05\/perplexity-ia-guide-enseignants-education\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>interesting alternative<\/strong> at Google<\/a>, Bing and others Yahoo. Each research contributes to the financing of reforestation projects around the world \u2013 more than <strong>200 million trees<\/strong> planted to date \u2013 and sober AI tools that respect both privacy and the planet.<\/p>\n<p>In class, it is also a <strong>educational gesture<\/strong> : show that it can be done differently, that digital tools can be thought of differently, and that every use counts.<\/p>\n<p>Then, <strong>Why not test?<\/strong> Whether for your personal use, an EDD project, an EMI sequence, or simply to initiate a discussion about our digital choices, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ecosia.org\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">the Ecosia Engine<\/a> offers a simple, free and committed starting point.<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>In the computer room as on personal devices, Google remains the reflex: efficient, fast, familiar. But this reflex also opens up useful questions in the classroom: economic model, data, results bias, impact...<\/p>","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":15053,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"no","_lmt_disable":"no","footnotes":""},"categories":[95,9258],"tags":[9184],"class_list":["post-15052","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-recherche","category-ia","tag-moteur-de-recherche"],"modified_by":"Fidel Navamuel","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/outilstice.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15052","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/outilstice.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/outilstice.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/outilstice.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/outilstice.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=15052"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/outilstice.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15052\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":15059,"href":"https:\/\/outilstice.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15052\/revisions\/15059"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/outilstice.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/15053"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/outilstice.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=15052"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/outilstice.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=15052"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/outilstice.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=15052"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}