DuckDuckGo has increasingly positioned itself as an alternative for users who want more control over how AI appears in search results. (Image: DuckDuckGo)

Privacy-focused search engine DuckDuckGo is seeing a sharp rise in app installs and user traffic as criticism mounts over Google’s expanding AI-powered Search features.

The surge follows Google introducing major updates to Search during its Google I/O developer conference. The company expanded AI-generated summaries, conversational search tools, and its new ‘AI Mode’, which allows users to ask follow-up questions directly inside Search instead of browsing traditional website links.

While Google described the update as a major step forward for online search, many users and publishers raised concerns about inaccurate AI-generated responses, reduced visibility for websites, and the lack of a simple option to fully disable AI-powered results.

DuckDuckGo says the reaction has helped boost interest in its platform.…