DuckDuckGo No-AI Search Visits More Than Triple After Google I/O

*DuckDuckGo recorded more than three times the normal traffic to its No AI search page in the days after Google's May announcements.*

What happened

DuckDuckGo reported that visits to its dedicated No AI search page more than tripled following Google's May 19 developer conference. The increase reached the 3x mark on May 28 and kept rising. Average daily visits have stayed 84 percent above the prior baseline since the announcements.

Google's changes

At the event Google introduced an updated search interface that adds AI-generated suggestions in place of traditional autocomplete. The system now accepts follow-up questions in the same thread and expands its Personal Intelligence feature to pull from Gmail and Google Photos. It also includes new Search agents.

DuckDuckGo's offering

DuckDuckGo's No AI search removes AI-assisted answers, drops the chat interface, and returns fewer AI-generated images. The company said users can set the option as the default in Chrome and Firefox. Traffic data showed the clearest spike among users seeking the non-AI results page.

Why it matters

The numbers indicate that a measurable group of search users actively avoids the AI layer Google is adding to its core product. For developers and power users who value direct links over synthesized answers, the shift creates a practical alternative rather than a theoretical preference. DuckDuckGo gains a short-term visibility boost, but sustained growth will depend on whether the preference holds once the novelty of Google's changes fades.

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Sources:

• MacRumors

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