These ducks look powerful. Search engine and web browser developer DuckDuckGo said this week it’s getting an increase in new customers, and the increase just happened to coincide with Google’s I/O developer conference.
User privacy was a big part of how DuckDuckGo marketed itself back when it launched in 2008. The Pennsylvania-based company does not track customer data, record search histories or IP addresses, allowing customers to avoid being targeted by ads based on their browsing patterns.
A DuckDuckGo representative told CNET that, in the US, it saw 21% more installs of its browser from May 20 to May 26 — including a 37% increase on Tuesdays — compared to May 13 to May 19. Browser installs on iOS increased 33%, including 69% on Memorial Day.
Why did you jump? Google is holding its I/O conference from May 19 to May 20 as well announced several AI initiatives. One of those systems was an AI-driven search interface that could deliver extended answers to long queries. People can also drop videos, photos and files into the search box for multi-channel search.
Despite the inclusion, a DuckDuckGo representative told CNET that there was a 500% increase in mentions of the company across all social media platforms, including TikTok, Instagram, Reddit and X, among others.
DuckDuckGo founder and CEO Gabriel Weinberg said in a statement that Google is “force-feeding AI and there is no way out” and pointed to a report showing that Google search is getting worse.
“We want to be a place that puts users in control and lets them decide how much or how little AI they want,” Weinberg said.
The flexibility of AI
A Google spokesperson said Google’s AI Mode, a button next to the search bar, now has more than 1 billion monthly users.
According to Elizabeth Reid, Google’s vice president and head of search, the number of searches in AI Mode has more than doubled every quarter since its launch last year. Reid said Google search queries peaked in the first quarter of 2026.
Read more: Google I/O Left Me Confused: Who’s Benefiting From All This AI?
Google Search also offers a web filter that returns only text-based links without AI overview, as CNET details here.
DuckDuckGo gives customers flexibility about how much AI they want in their search experience. The browser has a Search Assist function that uses AI to help answer search queries, and users can designate in its settings how often they want it to appear, including never.
DuckDuckGo customers can let AI help with searches.
You can also opt out of AI by using noai.duckduckgo.com search, which does not include AI-assisted answers or AI-generated images. The page saw a 23% increase in searches between May 20 and May 25 compared to the period between May 13 and May 18, the company said.
“People just want a choice,” said Kamyl Bazbaz, chief communications and policy officer at DuckDuckGo.
DuckDuckGo features a chatbot, Duck.ai, that lets people choose between models from OpenAI, Anthropic and others. The browser also has an Ask AI button to the right of the search bar, which you can use to get AI-generated answers. Weinberg said it doesn’t collect search or chat history and that “nothing is used for AI training.”
Cloud network and cybersecurity company Cloudflare said DuckDuckGo is the No. 2 mobile search engine and No. 3 overall in the US by December 2025.