DuckDuckGo Sees Surge in Installs After Google Goes All-In on AI Search at I/O

DuckDuckGo Sees Surge in Installs After Google Goes All-In on AI Search at I/O | PCMag

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At I/O last week, Google announced its biggest Search upgrade in 25 years, but few seem impressed by its new AI features. Since the event, users have been flocking to DuckDuckGo, a rival search engine that lets them disable AI features altogether."People aren’t just complaining about Google's AI search overhaul; they’re leaving," DuckDuckGo tweeted on Tuesday. "Yesterday alone, our week-over-week installs surged 30% in the US. Momentum is growing. It’s time to Fire Google."According to data shared with Tom's Guide, DuckDuckGo’s app installs increased by an average of 18.1% week-over-week between May 20 and May 25 in the US. The installs were significantly higher on iOS devices, averaging 33% week-over-week with a peak of nearly 70% on May 25. You May Also Like

“Google is force-feeding AI with no way to opt out. As a result, their results are getting worse, not better,” DuckDuckGo founder and CEO Gabriel Weinberg tells Paul Thurrott. “We want to be the place that puts users in charge and allows them to decide how much or how little AI they want. That’s why we’re seeing a spike in people coming to DuckDuckGo this week.”DuckDuckGo’s No AI website, which by design avoids AI features, has also seen a surge in visitors. Users increased by 22.7% week-on-week, with a peak growth of 27.7% observed on May 24. Recommended by Our Editors Sick of Google's AI Overload? Try These Search Engines Instead Is Spark Another Rebrand of Google Gemini or Something Else? Gemini's Daily Brief Tries to Make a Strong Case for Handing Google Your Data

DuckDuckGo does have its own AI features, such as a duck.ai chatbot for back-and-forth conversations and a Search Assistant for an AI Overviews-like summary for your search. However, you can easily disable them from the app or website’s settings. It also gives you the option to hide AI-generated images from search results.Google, on the other hand, has been pushing down organic results and promoting AI Overviews and AI Mode in Search. In a survey published by DuckDuckGo earlier this year, 90% of respondents said they didn’t want AI in search.

About Our Expert Jibin Joseph Contributor Experience Jibin is a tech news writer based out of Ahmedabad, India. Previously, he served as the editor of iGeeksBlog and is a self-proclaimed tech enthusiast who loves breaking down complex information for a broader audience. Latest By Jibin Joseph Apple May Soon Add a Feature That Automatically Locks Snatched iPhones Sennheiser Momentum 5 Brings Better ANC, Replaceable Battery Got a Backlog of Long-Form Articles? Spotify Can Now Read Them Aloud iOS 27 May Finally Add Native Support for Google Cast, But There's a Catch New watchOS 27 Rumor Tips Better Heart-Rate Tracking, Delayed AI Health Coach More from Jibin Joseph Read Full Bio

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