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As its traffic continues to climb, alternative search engine DuckDuckGo<\/a> 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<\/a>, as their default search engine.<\/p>\n Once enabled, users will be directed to DuckDuckGo\u2019s 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<\/a> and Firefox<\/a> users. Meanwhile, people who have switched to the DuckDuckGo web browser already have their AI settings preserved, even if they clear their browser history.<\/p>\n The company says the extensions are meant to help people have a consistent AI-free search experience \u2014 something that\u2019s harder to come by these days, especially after Google announced<\/a> its AI-first revamp of its search engine at its developer conference earlier in May. <\/p>\n Since then, traffic to DuckDuckGo has been booming<\/a>. 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. <\/p>\n Those trends followed news that Google was overhauling<\/a> 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 \u201c10 blue links\u201d that defined Google in its earlier days are more of an afterthought, appearing below all this AI-fueled productivity.<\/p>\n 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<\/a>. <\/p>\n DuckDuckGo says traffic to its no-AI search page<\/a> was up threefold on Thursday, May 28, 2026 \u2014 a new high-water mark since Google\u2019s search announcement \u2014 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.<\/p>\n In addition to the new \u201cno AI\u201d 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. <\/p>\n It\u2019s worth noting that DuckDuckGo isn\u2019t an anti-AI company. The company still offers its own AI chatbot with access to many popular models, and a subscription plan<\/a> that provides access to the latest models and other tools, like a VPN service, identity theft restoration, and personal information removal services.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n When you purchase through links in our articles, we may earn a small commission<\/a>. This doesn\u2019t affect our editorial independence.<\/em><\/p>\n