DuckDuckGo Installs Surge 30% As Users Push Back Against Google's AI Search

Hyderabad: DuckDuckGo, a privacy-focused search engine, has reported a significant surge in app installs and user traffic. According to the company's official X post, the platform has witnessed an increase of 30 per cent in week-over-week installs in the United States (US). The company mentioned that "Momentum is growing."

Why DuckDuckGo is witnessing this change

DuckDuckGo’s surge in app installs and user traffic is the result of users’ mounting criticism of Google’s expanding AI-powered Search features following the Google I/O developer conference. The Mountain View-based tech giant unveiled a new “intelligent” search box powered by the company’s AI model, Gemini, at the annual developer conference. The search box features AI within Search, adding AI-generated summaries, conversational search tools, and a new AI Mode that lets users ask follow-up questions directly within the search interface rather than navigating to traditional website links.

The changes drew criticism from users and publishers, with concerns centred on inaccurate AI-generated responses, diminished website visibility, and the absence of a clear option to disable AI results altogether.

DuckDuckGo says the discontent has directly fuelled growth on its platform. According to TechCrunch's report, DuckDuckGo's app installs in the US rose by an average of 18.1 per cent week-over-week between May 20 and 25, with a single-day peak of 30.5 per cent recorded on May 25. iPhone installs averaged a 33 per cent increase over the same period. Those figures were confirmed by Apptopia, an analytics firm, which reported a 29 per cent rise in average daily US downloads during the same window.

TechCrunch's report also mentioned that Gabriel Weinberg, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of DuckDuckGo, was direct in his assessment of Google's direction. "Google is force-feeding AI with no way to opt out. As a result, their results are getting worse, not better." He argued that users are being pushed into AI-powered experiences without adequate choice.

DuckDuckGo has leaned into the sentiment, positioning itself as an alternative to Google Search for users seeking greater control over AI in search. According to the company's X post, the privacy-focused search engine's "No AI" search page witnessed "tripled" visits. The mark was hit on May 29, 2026 and has continued to climb since. According to MacRumors, DuckDuckGo's traffic has consistently averaged 84 per cent above baseline since May 19, 2026.

What's DuckDuckGo's No AI search

DuckDuckGo's No AI search is an alternative version of its privacy-focused search engine that completely removes AI features, chatbots, and AI-generated content from the result page. The search engine embraces the demand for a No AI search option by promoting new extensions on Chrome and Firefox web browsers and setting No AI search as the default.

DuckDuckGo's No AI seach homepage (Image Credit: X@DuckDuckGo)

DuckDuckGo is not anti-AI. It offers AI tools as an option via its Duck.ai platform, which the company claims does not collect user search histories or AI chat data for training purposes.

The shift from Google’s AI-powered Search to DuckDuckGo’s No AI search reflects users’ growing tension over the rapid integration of generative AI, and their preference for traditional, link-based results with stronger privacy safeguards. It remains to be seen whether this shift will impact users and prompt them to change their search habits, or remain just a short-term protest spike.