Google’s latest changes to Search have sparked a fresh debate about how people want to find information online. After the company unveiled a major Search overhaul at its I/O developer conference, some users began looking for alternatives. For many, the issue is not AI itself. It is the feeling that AI is becoming harder to avoid.
Google plans to make Search more conversational. Users can type longer questions, ask follow-up queries, and get direct answers through AI Overviews and AI Mode. Instead of showing a page full of links first, Google aims to answer questions inside the search page.
Google says AI Overviews have existed for two years and that AI Mode is not the default experience. Still, the reaction has been strong.
Critics argue that AI-heavy search could hurt the open web by reducing traffic to publishers and websites. Others worry about errors in AI answers or feel that AI adds layers to tasks that once felt simple. Some users also want a clearer choice about when AI appears in search results.
That concern may be helping DuckDuckGo.
The privacy-focused search engine, which holds a small share of the U.S. search market, says it has seen a jump in user activity after Google’s announcement.
DuckDuckGo Sees Surge in Downloads as Users Seek Alternatives to AI-Integrated Search
DuckDuckGo reported that U.S. app installs rose 18.1% week over week between May 20 and May 25 compared with the prior week. The company said the trend lasted six straight days and peaked at 30.5% on May 25. Growth on iOS was stronger, with average weekly growth reaching 33% and peaking near 70%.
The company also pointed to rising traffic on its AI-free search page, noai.duckduckgo.com. That version of DuckDuckGo disables AI features such as AI-generated answers and AI-created images by default. Visits to the page rose 22.7% week over week on average and reached a peak growth rate of 27.7%.
DuckDuckGo says the pattern looks strongest in the United States. The company also noted that user growth continued through Memorial Day weekend, a period when traffic often slows.
Outside data points in the same direction. App analytics firm Apptopia found a 29% rise in average daily downloads in the U.S. during the same period, along with 12% global growth.
DuckDuckGo CEO Gabriel Weinberg linked the rise to frustration with Google’s approach to AI search.
“Google is force-feeding AI with no way to opt out,” Weinberg said in a statement. He argued that users want more control over how much AI they see when they search online.
The two companies differ in how they frame user choice.
Google says users who want a classic search experience can use filters that show a standard list of links. The company also points to growing interest in AI search tools. In a recent blog post, Google Search executive Elizabeth Reid said AI Mode has passed one billion monthly users and that usage continues to grow.
DuckDuckGo, meanwhile, markets flexibility and privacy.
The company offers its own AI service, Duck.ai, which gives users access to several AI models without requiring an account. Users can interact with models from Anthropic, Meta, Mistral, and OpenAI. DuckDuckGo says it removes IP addresses before requests reach model providers, deletes chats within 30 days, and does not use conversations for AI training.
Despite its push for AI choice, DuckDuckGo has not rejected AI altogether.
Why User Choice is Defining the Future of AI Integration?
It offers Search Assist, which works in a way that resembles Google’s AI Overviews. It also includes an AI Image Filter that helps users screen out AI-generated pictures in search results.
That mix of features reflects a broader point about the current search debate. The issue may not be whether people want AI or reject it outright. Many users appear to want control over when and how they use it.
DuckDuckGo chief communications officer Kamyl Bazbaz said the company’s different AI tools remain popular, even though they serve different needs.
“People just want a choice,” he said.
As Google reshapes Search around AI, that demand for choice may shape how users respond next.
