DuckDuckGo has surged after Google’s AI‑heavy search revamp at I/O, drawing record traffic on iPhone. The privacy‑focused engine logged its highest single‑day search volume yet, spurred by a wave of new installs. Users gravitate toward a cleaner interface that sidesteps Google’s AI pivot for today.

In the week before the announcement, US installs jumped 61% over the prior period, peaking 76% higher on June 1. iOS led all platforms, with downloads up 95% compared to the pre‑announcement week—nearly double the rate seen elsewhere. The surge positions DuckDuckGo as the third‑most‑downloaded iOS browser after Chrome.

Unlike Google, DuckDuckGo remains open to users who want to disable AI. The service offers a noai.duckduckgo.com domain that strips AI features, giving full control over search results. This option is absent from Google, making DuckDuckGo attractive to privacy‑concerned consumers who value predictable, non‑AI‑driven queries.

The spike underscores how AI shifts can redirect user traffic toward alternatives that emphasize privacy and control. With iOS users already favoring DuckDuckGo, the trend may pressure Google to refine its AI strategy or offer more opt‑out choices. Consumers now have a clear, privacy‑centric option that matches their search habits without compromising data.