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

DuckDuckGo says user backlash to Google’s AI Search redesign helped drive demand for its privacy-focused search tools.

U.S. app installs rose 18.1% week over week on average, with a peak increase of 30.5%.

Visits to DuckDuckGo’s AI-free search page also climbed, suggesting some users want search without mandatory AI features.

The trend points to growing interest in alternatives that offer more control and less forced AI.