Following the AI-heavy search announcements at last week’s Google I/O, DuckDuckGo says it has seen notable and sustained growth in US users, including a sharp jump in iPhone app installs. here are the details.
iOS users in the US seek AI-free alternatives to Google
Last week, during the Google I/O keynote, the company announced a series of changes coming to its users in the coming weeks and months, most of which relate to integrating AI more into its ecosystem.
you can definitely read All about it on 9to5Google’s coverage Regarding the event, but when it comes to search specifically, Google announced an overhaul of the search box, along with a press release in which it described “A new ear for AI discovery,” and “The biggest upgrade (to Google’s search box) in 25 years.”
And while some new features, such as custom generative UI, are geared toward helping users visualize and better understand what they’re searching for, Google’s decision to push AI even deeper into search has also drawn criticism from users who want a more traditional search experience.
In light of this, DuckDuckGo told 9to5Mac that it has seen continued growth in US users since Google I/O, with iOS leading across all platforms. The company says iOS installations in the US increased an average of 33% week over week, while overall there was an 18.1% increase.
DuckDuckGo also says visit noai.duckduckgo.comThe AI-free version of its search platform has also seen an average week-on-week growth of 22.7%.
Interestingly, DuckDuckGo says that “the U.S. growth rate is several times the international rate,” adding that these figures not only persisted, but “accelerated through the Memorial Day weekend, when activity typically subsides.”
According to DuckDuckGo, these numbers suggest that, rather than being a global trend, the recent surge may be “a reaction to Google’s US-centric announcement.”
That said, DuckDuckGo is also experimenting with AI features, while repeatedly going out of its way to make sure it communicates that they’re optional, and can be avoided entirely. noai.duckduckgo.com.
To read more about DuckDuckGo’s approach to AI, follow this link.
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