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ZDNET's key takeaways

• DuckDuckGo has seen a surge in users and installs.
• You can easily use DuckDuckGo without any AI.
• This makes it a good alternative to Google's AI Overviews.

Do you use Google for your searches but don't want all the AI slop? There is an alternative that's growing in popularity, and its name is DuckDuckGo.

Like many companies, Google has been adding more AI to its products and services -- and that includes its dominant search engine. Run a Google search, and instead of getting the traditional results, you're likely to be hit with an AI overview that may or may not answer your question and may or may not be accurate.

Also: I found an easy way to automatically keep AI out of my search results - and it works in nearly every browser

At its recent 2026 I/O conference, Google unveiled a slew of AI upgrades to search. Among them are a new AI search box, agents that can find things for you, links to local businesses, and the ability to serve up more personalized answers. On the surface, those enhancements sound promising. But then we go back to the flaws and fallibilities of AI.

The surging interest in DuckDuckGo 

Though its accuracy may have improved over time, AI can still make mistakes. You can't be certain whether the information in the AI overview is correct. Further, the overview may not fully or adequately answer your question. For those and other reasons, many people are turning away from AI-powered searches toward a more classic approach. And that brings us to DuckDuckGo.

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

"People aren't just complaining about Google's AI search overhaul, they're leaving," DuckDuckGo said in a Tuesday post on X. "Yesterday alone, our week-over-week installs surged 30% in the US. Momentum is growing. It's time to fire Google."

Also: Sick of AI in Search? These 7 Google alternatives still put links first

Here, DuckDuckGo is referring to installations of its apps and browser across all platforms, both desktop and mobile.

Starting May 19, these installs jumped by 18.1% compared with the previous week, peaking at 30.5% on May 25, a DuckDuckGo spokesperson told ZDNET. Over the same period, installs of DuckDuckGo's iOS app led the pack with an average growth rate of 33%, peaking at 69.9% on May 25.

Visits to DuckDuckGo's no-AI search page, which turns off AI-generated features by default, rose by an average of 22.7% week-over-week with a peak of 27.7% on May 24.

The growth spurt carried through and even grew during the Memorial Day weekend, a time when such activity typically drops. The surge was far greater in the US than abroad, suggesting that it was a response to Google's more US-focused I/O event, which took place on May 19.

"We want to be the place that puts users in charge and allows them to decide how much or how little AI they want," DuckDuckGo Founder and CEO Gabriel Weinberg said in a statement. "That's why we're seeing a spike in people coming to DuckDuckGo this week. Not only do we respect user choice, but also user privacy: everything you do in DuckDuckGo is private, we don't collect search histories or chats and nothing is used for AI training."

Your options for AI-free and private searching and browsing 

With all these new users, how can you tap into DuckDuckGo for AI-free and private searching and browsing?

First up is the website/search engine. At the regular site, you can decide whether you want to run a search without AI-generated results or chat with an AI bot. The choice is yours. Either way, DuckDuckGo promises that your searches remain private.

If you opt for AI, you can choose among several models, including GPT-5 mini, GPT-4o mini, Claude Haiku 4.5, and Mistral Small 4. A paid subscription to the DuckDuckGo Plus plan or Pro plan offers access to more AI models.

Want to avoid AI altogether? Just head to DuckDuckGo's no-AI site. This one turns off AI-assisted answers and removes AI-generated images. Your searches display the usual results and are private to boot.

"One of the most popular search features we've launched in years is a filter that removes AI images from image results," DuckDuckGo Chief Communications and Policy Officer Kamyl Bazbaz said in a statement. "The other most popular feature? Search Assist, which uses AI to anonymously generate answers to search queries at the top of the search page. People just want a choice."

Also: Google's new AI Search box is here - along with agents and 5 more upgrades

Another option is to grab the DuckDuckGo browser. Here, you're able to search and surf the web privately. Again, you can decide whether to run a regular search or one with AI in mind. The Windows and macOS apps also let you switch between traditional and AI-powered search.

The iOS and Android apps act as web browsers and search tools with or without AI.

DuckDuckGo is worth using for its privacy protections alone. But if you're tired of the AI slop that pops up when you use Google, that's all the more reason to give DuckDuckGo a shot.