Last week, after Google announced its latest and most aggressive AI-driven transformation of Search, an ordinary conversation on the street captured a growing sentiment. A woman was overheard on the phone declaring she was switching to DuckDuckGo because, as she put it, “you can opt out of using AI.” She added, “Google just isn’t Google anymore.” That remark appears to echo the feelings of many others, as data now shows a sharp uptick in DuckDuckGo installations.
During Google I/O, the company’s annual developer conference, executives unveiled a plan to turn the familiar search box into a conversational engine. This new system expands for longer queries, anticipates user intent, and offers autocomplete that is far more predictive. Instead of simply returning a list of blue links, Google is now prioritizing AI Overviews — summarized answers generated by large language models — that appear directly at the top of the results page. Google also introduced a more seamless AI Mode, which allows users to ask follow-up questions within the AI Overview interface, further blurring the line between search and chatbot.
While a Google spokesperson noted that AI Overviews have existed for two years and that AI Mode is not the default, the backlash has been swift and widespread. Critics argue that this shift will ultimately kill the open web by reducing the incentive for content creators to produce original material, as users will stay within Google’s ecosystem. Others raise concerns about accuracy, pointing out that AI Overviews have been known to surface incorrect or bizarre answers. Some see a loss of control for users who prefer simpler, AI-free results. Indeed, even a trivial Google search like the word “disregard” now returns an AI Overview, illustrating how the new interface complicates what was once a straightforward process.
In response to these changes, a significant number of users have begun defecting to DuckDuckGo, a search engine that has long prioritized privacy and user control. DuckDuckGo has historically struggled to break past Google’s dominance, accounting for only about 2% of the U.S. search market. During Google’s antitrust trial in 2023, DuckDuckGo CEO Gabriel Weinberg testified that Google’s exclusive default search contracts harmed his company’s ability to pitch itself as the default on other browsers. Now, however, the tide may be turning.
“Google is force-feeding AI with no way to opt out,” Weinberg said in a statement. “As a result, their results are getting worse, not better. We want to be the place that puts users in charge and allows them to decide how much or how little AI they want.” DuckDuckGo reported that U.S. app installs rose by an average of 18.1% week-over-week from May 20 to May 25, compared to the previous week. The growth was sustained for six consecutive days, peaking at 30.5% on May 25. On iOS, the rate of installation was even higher, with week-over-week growth averaging 33% and peaking at 69.9%.
DuckDuckGo also saw a surge in visits to its AI-free search page, noai.duckduckgo.com, which turned off all AI features by default. That page averaged 22.7% week-over-week growth, peaking at 27.7% on May 24. (A company spokesperson noted that Google offers a web filter for those who want a more traditional list of links, but that feature is not the default.) Interestingly, DuckDuckGo said the trend was especially strong in the U.S., and the gains continued over the Memorial Day weekend — a period that normally sees a dip in traffic.
These internal figures are corroborated by third-party data. App analytics company Apptopia found a 29% increase in average daily downloads in the U.S. and a 12% increase globally over the same period. Such numbers suggest that the backlash against Google’s AI overhaul is not just a niche reaction but a measurable shift in consumer behavior.
DuckDuckGo’s success is all the more notable because the company itself offers AI-powered features, but on its own terms. Its product, Duck.ai, provides free access to models from Anthropic, Meta, Mistral, and OpenAI — without requiring a user account. Every chat conducted through Duck.ai is private: DuckDuckGo strips the user’s IP address before requests reach model providers, deletes conversations within 30 days, and prevents any chats from being used for training. “Not only do we respect user choice, but also user privacy,” Weinberg said. “Everything you do in DuckDuckGo is private, we don’t collect search histories or chats and nothing is used for AI training.”
DuckDuckGo also offers Search Assist, a feature similar to Google’s AI Overviews, along with an AI Image Filter that removes AI-generated images from search results. According to Kamyl Bazbaz, DuckDuckGo’s chief communications and policy officer, both features are among the company’s most popular. “People just want a choice,” Bazbaz said.
Meanwhile, Google remains confident in its direction. A Google spokesperson pointed to a blog post by VP of Search Elizabeth Reid, who noted that a year after its debut, AI Mode had surpassed one billion monthly users, with queries more than doubling every quarter since launch. Still, the recent exodus to DuckDuckGo highlights a significant tension: while many users embrace AI assistance, a growing number are actively seeking ways to avoid it, especially when it is forced upon them without a clear off switch.
The shift also reflects a broader debate about the future of search and the role of AI. Privacy advocates warn that Google’s deep integration of AI could lead to even greater data collection and less user autonomy. DuckDuckGo, which has always built its brand on not tracking users, is well-positioned to capture those who feel alienated by Google’s direction. The company’s 30% install increase may be just the beginning, as more users discover that there is an alternative — one that promises both privacy and the ability to choose how much AI they want in their daily search experience.
Source: TechCrunch News