DuckDuckGo downloads increased by 30% after Google's AI update - ForkLog: cryptocurrencies, AI, singularity, the future

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The number of DuckDuckGo app installs in the US rose after Google introduced a major search update focused on AI. This was reported by TechCrunch citing company data.

At the I/O conference, Google stated that traditional search results with a list of links will gradually be replaced by an AI agent that responds to queries, performs tasks, and launches background assistants for monitoring. This drew criticism from users and experts who fear reduced control over search results, errors in responses, and pressure on the open web.

Against this backdrop, the privacy-focused search engine DuckDuckGo recorded an increase in installs in the US from May 20 to 25, averaging 18.1% more than the previous week. The positive trend continued for six consecutive days, reaching a peak of 30.5% on May 25.

The situation on iOS is even better: the growth compared to the previous week averaged 33%, with a maximum of about 69%.

Traffic to the page noai.duckduckgo.com, where all AI features—including responses and image generation—are disabled by default, also increased. Page visits grew by an average of 22.7%.

DuckDuckGo CEO Gabriel Weinberg stated that Google "forces AI on users without an option to opt out." According to him, users want to decide for themselves how actively to use such features.

At the same time, DuckDuckGo is not abandoning artificial intelligence entirely. The company offers the Duck.ai service without mandatory registration. It provides access to models from Anthropic, Meta, Mistral, and OpenAI. The company claims that users' IP addresses are hidden before requests are sent to model providers, conversations are deleted within 30 days, and data is not used for training.

The search engine also has Search Assist (similar to Google's AI responses) and the AI Image Filter to exclude generated images from search results. DuckDuckGo representative Camille Bazbaz noted that these features remain popular, but the key factor for users is the ability to choose.

According to StatCounter, DuckDuckGo accounts for about 2% of the search market in the US. The company previously stated that Google's dominance is reinforced through exclusive agreements that make its search engine the default in browsers.

Recall that in May, Google tightened its policy on using AI tools in search after a public experiment by BBC journalist Thomas Germain.

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