DuckDuckGo installations surge amid backlash over Google AI

Optional AI tools put users back in control and put digital privacy first

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Image: Mateusz Slodkowski via Newsmonkey

The huge spike in DuckDuckGo installations coincides with widespread user dissatisfaction over the mandatory integration of artificial intelligence into Google’s search results, TechCrunch reports.

Many consumers feel that Google has changed fundamentally, shifting away from the traditional list of links towards an AI‑driven agent that handles queries and tasks. This shift has prompted criticism, with users arguing that AI overviews often provide inaccurate information, overcomplicate simple searches and threaten the viability of the open Web.

This frustration has given DuckDuckGo a significant boost. The privacy‑focused rival had previously struggled to gain real traction in the US market. CEO Gabriel Weinberg has criticised Google for “forcing” AI on its audience without offering a way to switch it off, arguing that such an approach undermines the quality of search results.

He positions his company as an alternative that hands control back to users, allowing them to decide for themselves to what extent they want to engage with AI.

The impact of this sentiment is clearly visible in the numbers. Between 20 and 25 May, the average weekly number of app installations in the US rose by 18.1%, peaking at 30.5% on 25 May. Growth was even more pronounced on iOS, where average weekly installations increased by 33% and almost hit 70% at their peak.

On top of that, traffic to a dedicated AI‑free search portal grew by an average of 22.7% over the same period.

Despite the backlash against forced AI, DuckDuckGo still offers optional AI tools. Through its private chat service, Duck.ai, users can access various large language models from providers such as OpenAI and Meta without needing an account.

To safeguard privacy, the company strips IP addresses and deletes conversations every 30 days. The search engine also offers ‘search assist’ and a filter to remove AI‑generated images from results. According to head of communications Kamyl Bazbaz, these features are highly popular because they give users the freedom to tailor their own experience.

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