After Google announced its significant overhaul of Search, leading to an increase in DuckDuckGo installations by 30%, it seems users are rejecting the idea of being 'force-fed' by the tech giant’s AI. At I/O, Google unveiled a new system where their traditional blue link results will be replaced with an AI agent that answers queries and performs tasks.

The backlash against these changes has been intense. Critics argue that such changes could stifle the open web and compromise user privacy, as people fear losing control over how much or little AI they use in their daily searches.

DuckDuckGo, a privacy-focused alternative, is benefiting from this shift with U.S. app installs increasing by an average of 30.5% week-over-week during the May period. The company also saw visits to its AI-free search page grow by up to 27.7%. Offering its own AI product called Duck.ai and Search Assist, both popular despite their differing approaches, DuckDuckGo continues to gain users even during Memorial Day weekend.

“Not only do we respect user choice, but also user privacy,” stated Gabriel Weinberg, CEO of DuckDuckGo. “Everything you do in DuckDuckGo is private; no search histories or chats are collected and nothing is used for AI training.”