DuckDuckGo extensions make its no-AI search page a default option

DuckDuckGo has released browser extensions that let people set its AI-free search page, noai.duckduckgo.com, as their default search engine, leaning into anti-AI sentiment as its traffic keeps climbing. The extensions are currently available for Chrome and Firefox.

What changes for users

Once enabled, searches go to DuckDuckGo's AI-free page, which the company says shows no AI-assisted answers, no chat prompts and fewer AI images in results. People who already use the DuckDuckGo browser keep their AI settings even after clearing browsing history. DuckDuckGo frames the extensions as a way to get a consistent AI-free search experience at a time when that is harder to find — particularly after Google announced an AI-first revamp of its search engine at its developer conference in May 2026.

The numbers behind the push

Traffic to the no-AI page was up threefold on Thursday, May 28, 2026, a new high-water mark since Google's announcement, and the company says the numbers are still climbing. The growth is not arriving in spurts: visits are averaging roughly 84% above the baseline. A week earlier, DuckDuckGo reported web visits to the no-AI page up nearly 30% week over week and US app installs up 18.1%, with US iOS installs peaking at 69.9% week-over-week growth.

The backdrop is Google's largest search overhaul in more than 25 years. Instead of returning links at the top of the page, the engine now favours AI-generated overviews that can build charts, graphs or small apps, with follow-up questions pushing users into an AI Mode chat. The traditional "ten blue links" now sit below all of that, and some users are responding by moving to alternative engines such as DuckDuckGo and Kagi.

Not an anti-AI company

DuckDuckGo is careful to note that it is not against AI as such. It still offers its own chatbot with access to many popular models, plus a subscription that bundles the latest models with a VPN, identity theft restoration and personal information removal. The company also plans to update its long-standing Privacy Essentials extensions for Chrome, Firefox, Edge and Opera with controls for AI search settings, extending the same choice to people who would rather not switch their default engine.

The story is less about one company's stance than about demand. A measurable slice of users is choosing search that returns links, and vendors are now competing on how easy they make that choice.