'Google is force-feeding AI with no way to opt ': DuckDuckGo CEO says installs are surging after Google I/O

https://www.tomsguide.com/author/amanda-caswell· May 26, 2026 · 9:08 PM UTC ·12 min read · 0 reactions · 0 comments · 38 views

#technology #privacy #search engines

TL;DR · WeSearch summary

DuckDuckGo has reported a surge in installs following Google's AI-focused announcements at Google I/O 2026. The privacy-centric search engine noted a significant increase in U.S. installs, particularly among users seeking alternatives to AI-generated search results. This trend highlights a growing backlash against AI integration in search engines.

Key facts

▪DuckDuckGo saw a week-over-week increase of 18.1% in U.S. installs between May 20 and May 25.
▪iOS growth for DuckDuckGo was even stronger, averaging 33% week-over-week and peaking at nearly 70% on May 25.
▪Visits to DuckDuckGo's noai.duckduckgo.com, which disables AI features, rose an average of 22.7% week-over-week.

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2 outlets in our directory ran this story, first to last over 1 hour. All of the coverage we found sits in one bucket: centre. That one-sidedness is itself worth noticing.

Centre · 1

▪ DuckDuckGo installs are up 30% as users reject being ‘force-fed’ Google’s AI Search — TechCrunch

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Original publisher	Tom's Guide
Canonical URL	https://www.tomsguide.com/ai/google-is-force-feeding-ai-with-no-way-to-opt-duckduckgo-ceo-says-installs-are-surging-after-google-i-o
Publication time	Tue, 26 May 2026 21:08:37 +0000
Retrieval time	2026-05-26T21:12:54.503Z
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AI 'Google is force-feeding AI with no way to opt ': DuckDuckGo CEO says installs are surging after Google I/O News By Amanda Caswell published 26 May 2026 The backlash against AI search might finally be starting When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works. (Image credit: Shutterstock) Copy link Facebook X Reddit Email Share this article 0 Join the conversation Follow us Add us as a preferred source on Google Newsletter Subscribe to our newsletter Google spent much of Google I/O 2026 making it clear that AI is now the future of search.

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