DuckDuckGo makes its ‘no-AI’ search engine easier to access as its traffic booms

DuckDuckGo released new browser extensions for Chrome and Firefox on Thursday that set its AI-free search page, noai.duckduckgo.com, as the default search engine, as traffic to the alternative search engine surges following Google's AI-first search overhaul. The company reported that web visits to its no-AI search page rose nearly 30% week-over-week and U.S. app installs jumped 18.1% week-over-week, with iOS installs peaking at 69.9% growth, as users seek search experiences without AI-generated answers or chat prompts.

As its traffic continues to climb, alternative search engine DuckDuckGo https://duckduckgo.com/ is leaning into anti-AI sentiment with the launch of new browser extensions that allow users to set its no-AI search experience, noai.duckduckgo.com http://noai.duckduckgo.com , as their default search engine. Once enabled, users will be directed to DuckDuckGo’s AI-free search page, where there are no AI-assisted answers, no chat prompts, and fewer AI images in the search results, the company claims. The extensions are currently available for Chrome https://chromewebstore.google.com/detail/duckduckgo-no-ai-search/faoilnlkccdjdkpljainiiimmijofmpd and Firefox https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/duckduckgo-no-ai-search/ users. Meanwhile, people who have switched to the DuckDuckGo web browser already have their AI settings preserved, even if they clear their browser history. The company says the extensions are meant to help people have a consistent AI-free search experience — something that’s harder to come by these days, especially after Google announced https://techcrunch.com/2026/05/19/google-search-as-you-know-it-is-over/ its AI-first revamp of its search engine at its developer conference earlier in May. Since then, traffic to DuckDuckGo has been booming https://techcrunch.com/2026/05/26/duckduckgo-installs-are-up-30-as-users-reject-being-force-fed-googles-ai-search/ . Last week, the company noted that web visits to its no-AI search page were up nearly 30% week-over-week, and its U.S. app installs were also up 18.1% week-over-week, with U.S. iOS app installs peaking at 69.9% week-over-week growth. Those trends followed news that Google was overhauling https://techcrunch.com/2026/05/19/google-search-as-you-know-it-is-over/ its search box in the biggest change to its search engine in more than 25 years. Now, instead of returning links at the top of the page, Google will favor sending users into AI-generated search overviews, which are becoming more interactive experiences capable of creating visualizations, charts, graphs, or even mini apps, as needed. Follow-up questions from AI Overviews will push users into an AI Mode chat experience. The traditional “10 blue links” that defined Google in its earlier days are more of an afterthought, appearing below all this AI-fueled productivity. But not everyone is on board with having AI made the default, which is why some are making the move to alternative search engines like DuckDuckGo, Kagi, and others https://techcrunch.com/2026/05/21/six-search-engines-worth-trying-now-that-google-isnt-really-google-anymore/ . DuckDuckGo says traffic to its no-AI search page http://noai.duckduckgo.com was up threefold on Thursday, May 28, 2026 — a new high-water mark since Google’s search announcement — and the numbers are still climbing. The growth is not coming in spurts either, the company points out. Instead, visits are averaging roughly 84% above the baseline, suggesting a more sustained shift. In addition to the new “no AI” search Chrome and Firefox extensions, DuckDuckGo will soon update its original DuckDuckGo Privacy Essentials extensions for Chrome, Firefox, Edge, and Opera to offer controls for AI search settings, as well. It’s worth noting that DuckDuckGo isn’t an anti-AI company. The company still offers its own AI chatbot with access to many popular models, and a subscription plan https://techcrunch.com/2025/09/04/duckduckgo-adds-access-to-advanced-models-to-it-subscription-plan/ that provides access to the latest models and other tools, like a VPN service, identity theft restoration, and personal information removal services.