In 2026, online search is changing very quickly. On May 19, 2026, Google said that its AI Mode had passed one billion monthly users around the world. The company also said AI Mode searches had more than doubled every quarter since launch. Google has continued to expand AI search by improving AI answers and adding more direct links to websites and original content inside those answers. This shows that many people now use search not only to find links, but also to get quick, conversation-style help. (blog.google)
However, not everyone wants AI in search. DuckDuckGo, a search company known for privacy, offers a special page called noai.duckduckgo.com. On this page, AI-assisted answers are turned off, Duck.ai is blocked, and AI-generated images are filtered out by default. DuckDuckGo also offers No-AI browser extensions for Chrome and Firefox, so users can make this simpler style of search their default choice. The company says its idea is simple: AI should be optional, not forced on everyone. (duckduckgo.com)
Interest in this option has grown fast. On June 1, 2026, TechCrunch reported that traffic to DuckDuckGo’s no-AI search page was booming and that the company had made the AI-free version easier to access. A related TechCrunch report on May 26, 2026 said visits to the page had been growing week by week after Google’s latest AI search push. These reports suggest that some users still prefer a more traditional search experience with fewer AI features and more direct control. (techcrunch.com)
This does not mean AI search is losing. In fact, Google’s AI tools are clearly growing. But the rise of “no-AI search” shows something important: people want choice. Some users like fast AI summaries. Others want a clean page of links and less machine-made content. In the future, successful search engines may need to offer both. (blog.google)










