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ZDNET's key takeaways

• Using specific tools for specific tasks is simply smarter.
• Separate your searches and your AI queries for better results.
• DuckDuckGo and Perplexity are my services of choice.

Had you asked me years ago what my search engine combo would be, I might have looked at you with a skeptical eye and asked, "What do you mean?" It was always assumed that Google was the go-to for finding things on the web. Right?

With the advent of AI, that's all changed. Now, Google has essentially become a cesspool of AI-generated answers. That's not to say it's AI's fault. AI has its place, and that's not going to change.

Also: Why the most private way to browse the web isn't incognito mode (but this instead)

But when I go to a search engine, I want actual search results, free from AI's influence. And, if I want AI answers, I'm going to use an AI tool that doesn't attempt to be a search engine. I want separate tools for those tasks because I find the results are exponentially better. You don't want to go to a combo dentist-candy store for a root canal.

Back in 2025, I made Perplexity my default search engine, and it went pretty well. However, after a while, I realized I was missing out on actual search results. However, I wasn't about to go back to Google. Oh no. I needed much more privacy than that search engine offered.

Fortunately, there's DuckDuckGo, which I find to be one of the most private search engines available. DuckDuckGo is not just about privacy; it also lets you switch off AI results in your searches.

I know what you're thinking: Having to switch between two search engines sounds like a real pain in the rear. In fact, it's pretty easy.

Let me show you my method, so you can determine if it's something you'd like to try.

Creating custom search engines

Most modern web browsers allow you to create custom search engines from existing sites. Not only that, but they also allow you to create shortcuts for them. (You could use duck for DuckDuckGo and plex for Perplexity, for example.) So, instead of having to go to each site, you'd only need to type the shortcut, hit Tab, and then type your search query. 

Also: Opera just gave me 5 compelling reasons to ditch Chrome and Safari for good

Or, you set DuckDuckGo as your default (which is what I do), and then create a custom search engine for Perplexity.

Since my default browser is Opera, I'm going to show you how to do it in Opera. The good news is that most browsers offer this feature, and it's typically implemented the same way.

In Opera, go to Settings > Search engine > Manage search engines and site searches. On that page, scroll down to Site search and click Add. In the resulting pop-up, enter the following:

• Name - Perplexity
• Shortcut - plex
• URL - https://www.perplexity.ai/?q=%s

Click Add, and you're done. 

Once you've done that, make sure to switch your default search engine from Google to DuckDuckGo, which is done under the main Search engines section of Settings.

Using the search-AI combo

You most likely know how to use a typical search in your browser. Open a new tab, type your search query in the address bar, and hit Enter. The results will now be delivered via DuckDuckGo.

Also: What is Perplexity Deep Research, and how do you use it?

When you want to use Perplexity for your search, type the shortcut (plex), then (in Opera) follow it with your search string and hit Enter. In some browsers (such as Firefox), you type the shortcut, hit Enter, and then type your query.

This may not sound like an earth-shattering change, but once you start using these two different services for specific queries, you'll find it to be exponentially better than simply going to Google because it's what you've always done. With DuckDuckGo, you get much more privacy, and with Perplexity, you get an AI tool that doesn't try to double-dip as a search engine. Specific tools for specific tasks: It's the way to go!