This AI-free Google alternative is surging in popularity - how to try it for yourself

Lance Whitney/ZDNET

Follow ZDNET: Add america arsenic a preferred source connected Google

ZDNET's cardinal takeaways

• DuckDuckGo has seen a surge successful users and installs.
• You tin easy usage DuckDuckGo without immoderate AI.
• This makes it a bully alternate to Google's AI Overviews.

Do you usage Google for your searches but don't privation each the AI slop? There is an alternate that's increasing successful popularity, and its sanction is DuckDuckGo.

Like galore companies, Google has been adding much AI to its products and services -- and that includes its ascendant hunt engine. Run a Google search, and alternatively of getting the accepted results, you're apt to beryllium deed with an AI overview that whitethorn oregon whitethorn not reply your question and whitethorn oregon whitethorn not beryllium accurate.

Also: I recovered an casual mode to automatically support AI retired of my hunt results - and it works successful astir each browser

At its recent 2026 I/O conference, Google unveiled a slew of AI upgrades to search. Among them are a caller AI hunt box, agents that tin find things for you, links to section businesses, and the quality to service up much personalized answers. On the surface, those enhancements dependable promising. But past we spell backmost to the flaws and fallibilities of AI.

The surging involvement successful DuckDuckGo 

Though its accuracy whitethorn person improved implicit time, AI tin inactive marque mistakes. You can't beryllium definite whether the accusation successful the AI overview is correct. Further, the overview whitethorn not afloat oregon adequately reply your question. For those and different reasons, galore radical are turning distant from AI-powered searches toward a much classical approach. And that brings america to DuckDuckGo.

Since Google's AI-based announcements astatine I/O 2026, DuckDuckGo has seen a surge successful users and installs.

"People aren't conscionable complaining astir Google's AI hunt overhaul, they're leaving," DuckDuckGo said successful a Tuesday station connected X. "Yesterday alone, our week-over-week installs surged 30% successful the US. Momentum is growing. It's clip to occurrence Google."

Also: Sick of AI successful Search? These 7 Google alternatives inactive enactment links first

Here, DuckDuckGo is referring to installations of its mobile apps for iOS and Android successful the US, which peaked astatine 30.5% connected May 25, reported TechCrunch. That surge came aft a 18.1% maturation spurt from May 20 to May 25, compared with May 13 to May 18. For iOS alone, maturation was adjacent higher, averaging 33% and reaching a highest of 69.9%.

Visits to DuckDuckGo's no-AI hunt page, which disables AI-generated features by default, roseate by an mean of 22.7% week-over-week with a highest of 27.7% connected May 24. The latest maturation rates travel May 19, the aforesaid time arsenic Google's I/O event.

Your options for AI-free and backstage searching and browsing 

With each these caller users, however tin you pat into DuckDuckGo for AI-free and backstage searching and browsing?

First up is the website/search engine. At the regular site, you tin determine whether you privation to tally a hunt without AI-generated results oregon chat with an AI bot. The prime is yours. Either way, DuckDuckGo promises that your searches stay private.

If you opt for AI, you tin take among respective models, including GPT-5 mini, GPT-4o mini, Claude Haiku 4.5, and Mistral Small 4. A paid subscription to the DuckDuckGo Plus program oregon Pro program offers entree to much AI models.

Want to debar AI altogether? Just caput to DuckDuckGo's no-AI site. This 1 turns disconnected AI-assisted answers and removes AI-generated images. Your searches show the accustomed results and are backstage to boot.

Also: Google's caller AI Search container is present - on with agents and 5 much upgrades

Another enactment is to drawback the DuckDuckGo browser. Here, you're capable to hunt and surf the web privately. Again, you tin determine whether to tally a regular hunt oregon 1 with AI successful mind. The Windows and macOS apps besides fto you power betwixt accepted and AI-powered search. The iOS and Android apps enactment arsenic web browsers and hunt tools with oregon without AI.

DuckDuckGo is worthy utilizing for its privateness protections alone. But if you're bushed of the AI slop that pops up erstwhile you usage Google, that's each the much crushed to springiness DuckDuckGo a shot.