According to TechCrunch, after Google vigorously promoted its AI search features, a large number of users resisted, and the platform also experienced abnormal push issues, which unexpectedly brought traffic growth to competitor DuckDuckGo.

Some users reported that when searching for keywords like "no AI" on Google, the AI overview module on the page would actively recommend DuckDuckGo's exclusive no-AI search page, and prompt users to adjust settings to reduce the intensity of AI features, directly guiding users to switch to the competitor platform.

google, Google

Since the 2026 Google I/O conference, Google has continuously enhanced features such as AI overview and AI conversational search, but has not provided a complete option to permanently disable the AI overview. Many users prefer traditional pure link search results and resent the platform's forced push of AI-generated content, leading to a large number of users shifting to DuckDuckGo, which emphasizes privacy and supports turning off AI.

Data shows that from May 20 to 25, after Google officially announced the comprehensive AI transformation of its search, the weekly average increase in DuckDuckGo app installations in the U.S. rose by 18.1%, maintaining growth for six consecutive days, with the highest increase exceeding 30%. At the same time, the access volume to DuckDuckGo's exclusive no-AI page also saw a significant increase.

In contrast to Google's restrictive strategy, all AI tools on DuckDuckGo can be turned off with one click, and it also provides a pure no-AI search mode, giving users full control over functionality options, thus attracting a large number of users who are dissatisfied with forced AI search.

Key Points:

🔍 Google search is experiencing abnormal pushes, actively recommending competitors like DuckDuckGo when users search for keywords related to "no AI".

📉 Google does not provide a way to permanently disable the AI overview, leading to a large number of users resisting forced AI search and switching platforms.

📈 DuckDuckGo's download volume has significantly increased, supporting the ability to freely turn AI functions on and off, meeting user needs.